2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NKJV – ‘We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.’
Many of us know that applying heat and pressure forms a diamond, but that understanding barely scrapes the surface of the process. Let’s add some context.
For every inch of potential diamond there needs to be approximately 725,000 pounds of pressure and the temperature needs to be at least 2,000 – 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. Can you imagine withstanding that much heat and pressure? It’s a miracle that the rock material doesn’t disintegrate. Instead a beautiful diamond that is priced at thousands of dollars is produced. Don’t you see that the process is what skyrockets the worth?
This pressure to diamond analogy helps us to better understand 2 Corinthians 4:8-10.
It’s important to note that even though we aren’t crushed, the pressure and heat can be so intense it feels as though we are. The process never feels good as the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:11, but it is not purposeless.
The beautiful thing about the 2 Corinthians scripture is that it tells us the end result before it has happened. We will not be crushed. We will not be forsaken. We will be made into a beautiful diamond.
I know it feels like we’re being crushed and forsaken, but I want to remind you that feelings are deceiving. Don’t give glory to the situation because you walk from a place of victory. God has told you the outcome. With the life of Jesus Christ in you, nothing and no one can destroy you.
PRAYER: God, thank you for telling me the outcome before it has actually come to pass. I know that you want me to have peace during the storm not just after it. I have to be honest and say that I feel crushed. I feel forsaken. I feel like I can’t endure anymore. Give me the comfort to endure, overcome and make it worth all of the pain. I need you right now. In Jesus name, Amen.