A vision given to me yesterday was not one that I jumped up and down with joy over… at least, not at first. Psalm 139: 12 states that darkness is the same as the light to the Lord, so just exactly how are we going to see darkness in the way He does? To see is to UNDERSTAND and I believe the day finally comes when God’s children realize that absolutely EVERYTHING works for the good for those who embrace all that happens to them in the spirit of LOVE. Yes, I know the scripture states “for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose,” but isn’t “love” His purpose? Now that you and I have His eyeglasses to look through, here is the vision given to me: I saw many black doors slammed shut except for one which was a giant pearl door. I was standing before it when the Lord said: “Embrace irritation”! Yikes, eh? Not exactly what I wanted to hear until my attention was drawn to a little sea creature called an oyster.

Did you know that the word “earth” in the Bible verse: “We have this treasure in vessels made of EARTH.” (2 Cor. 4: 7) is the translated Greek word “oyster” meaning “clay”? An oyster has the same problem we do with irritation when a piece of grit or sand comes into it causing a constant rubbing. That irritating action rubs its tissues raw, but God put a substance in the oyster to protect it from pain, and that substance is called “mother of pearl.” It wraps itself around the irritating piece which becomes hard, causing a pearl to be formed and we have something likened to it: Spiritual substance. If every time we are irritated or hurt, we ALLOW forgiveness and love to do their work, I believe we shall have and become the pearl of great price. The choice is ours… Yay, it’s up to us whether or not we embrace irritation and suffering to become a rare treasure.

I was led to read a portion of writing in Anna Lee Skarin’s book “The Temple of God.” In the chapter called “The Door,” she stated that “Love is the very voice” of God-…. it is the pearl of great price…. and that one is “led to the door by learning to listen to His Voice of love and promise.” In the Odes of Solomon, it is written: “Nothing appeared closed to me because I was the DOOR TO EVERYTHING.” I believe this reveals that when we enter and become the pearl door, the Lord will be fully formed in us and like Him, we, too, will be a door to everything.

At the time I was given the vision, I planned to scan the web to find a spiritual message that could edify me, but quickly, I realized that the Lord did not instruct me to do this. I think one of the reasons the vision was given was to let me know I can no longer hunt for spiritual edification on my own volition…. that the doors to other voices are now closed in my journey with God. I believe that I and others as well, have been developed to a place in which we know His voice and when we need to know something, He will speak it to us. This does NOT mean we won’t be listening to other words of life given by members of the body of Christ. It means that we’re ONLY to be led by our shepherd and guide, the Lord Jesus Christ, not mindlessly do what we want to do. Many times the Holy Spirit has brought a minister’s face into my mind or spoken someone’s name and it’s been very fruitful when I have followed His promptings.

It’s the “Voice”….GOD’s voice that is to lead us, like He just led me to hear Him speak through Anna’s words. When we read the Book of Genesis, we see that Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. The voice is the Word and the Spirit expressed as One…. even the “Living Word” and you and I can hear the “Great I Am” speak and give us life in the cool of our day, and in the heat of it, too. Hallelujah!

So my brethren, since irritations have been shown to be the very thing that’s needed to form us into treasures, are you ready to take the “Mother of Pearl” as your own?

She’s meant to be YOURS!