An old adage, usually attributed to Henry Kissinger, says that ‘a diamond is coal that did well under pressure.’ I remember learning an equation for the transformation of coal. Coal + heat + pressure + time = diamonds. In attempting to brush up on my ‘coal into diamonds’ facts I learned something new: coal doesn’t actually turn into a diamond.

Diamonds actually form much lower below the surface of the earth, in the mantle. Then, deep volcanic eruptions brought them closer to the surface. Coal, made from organic matter, forms near the surface. Due to placement alone, Geologists know that coal cannot become a diamond in truth.

Similarly to a real diamond, God does his best work deep inside of us, far below the surface. In order to transform us His into priceless treasures, he has to transform us from the inside out.

A Priceless Formula

Even though I now know diamonds don’t come from coal, I remember sitting in class learning about transformation. We studied the metamorphosis of one type of rock into another via different processes and discussed the pressures and forces involved. Specifically, I remember learning this equation: coal + heat + pressure + time = diamonds.

While the formula may not make diamonds, it is still worth diamonds. Coal may not transform into something priceless but God uses that same equation to transform you and I.

The Coal

Catholic’s believe in the concept of original sin. Original sin is “a depravity, or tendency to evil, held to be innate in humankind and transmitted from Adam to all humans in consequence of his sin” (dictionary.com). Basically, if Adam and Eve could sin in a perfect environment, you and I pretty completely doomed because we are already tainted by the ambient sin caused by the curse of their choice. Essentially, it is impossible for us to not sin. Regardless of whether or not you believe in original sin, Adam and Eve’s choice affected the entire world. Their decision to eat the forbidden fruit cursed all of creation. There is nothing that hasn’t been touched. Even plants and animals that can’t sin because they don’t have free will like you and I, get sick and die.

Sin has contaminated everything we see and know, especially us. And we do have free will. Each of us chooses sin.

The State of Sin

Sin left us in a state much like coal. Black, dirty, filled with all sorts of junk and impurities. We are brittle, broken, fragile. Un-pure. Due to sin, we are removed from all things good because we are not worthy to be in the presence of God.

I can easily imagine all of our auras: black, thick, heavy, leaving smudges on everything they touch. I picture us much like a dark, oily cloud.

I’ve spent time in and around areas that used to have coal mines and coal burning factories before recent emissions policies forced better air quality. Some of the towns I’ve been in are still visibly affected by the past. The towns look dingy but it has nothing to do with maintenance or cleanliness. The buildings are still covered by decades of coal smoke. The soot lingers long after the fire goes out.

But Christ

In contrast, Christ’s aura is perfect. Beautiful, see through and shining, golden in color. It is a beautiful light that bathes everything around it in brilliance much like the sun peaking through a hole in the clouds. It is radiant and pure.

Those are vastly different pictures.

God calls us to be Christ-like. He calls us to be a light to the world. Additionally, we are called by God to be set-apart. Different. Our mission is to reflect Him.

Reflecting Christ is not something that we can do on our own. We need to be transformed. We need the Holy Spirit to change us from coal into diamonds.

The Heat

God often turns up the heat on us. It’s how he exposes our sin. We make mistakes and he allows us to suffer the full consequences of them. Whether it’s as large as addiction, or as subtle as a ‘white’ lie, they all have a consequences and price to pay.

Truly, all have fallen short.

There isn’t a single one of us who has lived a blameless life. Christ is the only one to ever hold that distinction because he was the son of God. But Christ didn’t come to hand out God’s wrath. Christ came to be our redemption.

In order to be our redemption, we have to acknoweldge we are sinful. We have to listen to the Holy Spirit’s convictions and act on them.

God uses the heat of consequences and conviction to turn us back to the cross.

The Pressure

Our pressure comes through our trials and suffering. Usually, it isn’t the good times when we turn to and fully rely on God. Comfort isn’t found in the happiness. It’s found in sorrow. God doesn’t heal the healthy; He heals the sick and broken.

It isn’t in the blessings and favors, themselves, that we understand our full dependence on God’s mercy and grace. That understanding come from having messed up and knowing that God loves us enough to bless us anyway that we learn about mercy and grace.

Our trials and sufferings are when we press in the hardest. It’s in the hard times we realize that we really cannot do it on our own. And it’s in the worst times when God shows up the strongest.

God loves to provide and care for us and he comes through time and time again in our daily lives.

The Time

Time has been a big topic in my life lately. It is coming up in discussion everywhere from prophetic words to my ladies’ bible study. God has me looking at time and what it means to wait.

Waiting often leads to disease: not disease as in illness but rather disease as in dis-ease. Waiting can set us on edge and reveal a lot of our own faults and flaws. It reveals a lack of Godly character traits and good fruits. Subsequently, it is in waiting that God teaches the hard lessons that help us bear good fruit- patience, humility, endurance. We learn spiritual stamina in the waiting periods.

Waiting is also a time of preparation. God uses the waiting to make his arrangements. He coordinates time and space; people, places and things; and brings them together at just the right moment to reveal his glory.

The Equal Sign

The equal sign, in an equation, is often overlooked. Despite its overlooked status, it is of monumental importance. Equals (=) is the end of one thing and start of another. Equals (=) represents the end of the question and start of the answer. It is the end of the problem and the beginning of the solution. It is a line of demarcation, a fundamental change, the point of no return.

In short, the equal sign represents the transformation. It is the metamorphosis. Google defined transformation as “a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.” Synonyms.com listed the following as some of the synonyms for transformation: change, metamorphosis, conversion, modification, transfiguration

For us, that transformation occurs many times through out our relationship with the Lord. Transfiguration is the shedding of our old selves and the putting on of our new identities in Christ. Conversion happens when we accept the work of Christ on the cross, allowing him to take our place. Our metamorphosis is our baptism where we go into the water dying in sin and the Holy Spirit resurrects us, bringing us out of the water and into new life. Our modification is anytime the Holy Spirit shows up strong with heat and pressure to affect God’s will to change us. Transformation occurs when God illuminates the dark places in us and illuminates them with His light.

Subsequently, the equal signs in our lives are the fundamental changing points where God moves IN us.

The Diamonds

Unlike the coal, which cannot turn into a diamond, God can, and does, transform us!

When we allow God to move in our lives and to transform us, we become his diamonds. To illustrate, when we allow the Holy Spirit to move in and through us, we bear good fruits. When we allow God to use the heat and pressure to transform us, we become more Christ-like. Then we become more valuable than diamonds to the one who created them.

Transforming Into Treasure

While we may value diamonds and other gems, God does not. Gems and gold are are so common place, they have no meaning. They are like asphalt and used to pave the streets of heaven.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:18-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬h

“The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

Truthfully, God doesn’t claim to care about physical treasures a single time. God does, however, call you and I his treasures.

Malachi speaks of us being priceless treasures written in the book of life.

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.”

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3:16-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Transformation is Unavoidable

Have you ever used a tea kettle? You fill it up with water and when it comes to a boil, the steam creates enough pressure that the kettle makes a whistling noise to let you know the water is ready. Heat + Pressure + Time. Cold water won’t make tea but hot water does. The water needs to the heat and time to come to a boil and the kettle needs the pressure from the steam to signal that it’s ready. Similarly, when we come under heat and pressure, we will come to a boil.

Now, I’ve had good and bad kettles. I had one that I threw away years ago because it was so awful. It made the worst, most annoying screeching sound. It actually sounded like a small animal dying. As much as I hate microwaving my water for tea, I found myself doing so just to avoid the tea pot. I finally caved and bought a new one and it has a normal whistle. By comparison, it almost sings.

What are you going to do when you come under God’s transforming powers? Are you going to scream and try to avoid doing the work of making changes or are you going to allow God to do something beautiful and begin to sing?

Prayer

Father,

It’s easy to loose sight of You in the midst of our struggles. The heat and the pressure can be so overwhelming. Thank you for always knowing what’s best and for using the elements of heat, pressure and time to make us stronger and more like you.

I know that I’m just a lump of coal. I know I am dirty and unworthy. I know that it is only through Christ that I can be transformed and be the person you call me to be.

I know that you want me to bear good fruit and part of that is becoming more Christ-like. While the heat and pressure can feel too much at times, I know that you have a purpose and a plan for what you allow me to go through. As hard as it is, I know my transformation is more important than my comfort and I am doing my best to trust you through this process.

I know that you have promised to never leave me. Thank you for being with me in the process, in the fire. Thank you for guiding and directing me and growing me into who you plan for me to be.

Father, help me to remember that your ways are higher than mine. Remind me that you have promised to work all things together for my good. Help me to remember that this too shall pass and that things will be better on the other side.

I choose to be malleable. I choose to be transformed. I choose to trust in your plan for me.

in Jesus’ name