Tossed in the Waves

Back in Sept. My hubby gave me the opportunity to go away for a few days....just me and God, my own personal retreat. It was an amazing time and one of the things I loved the most, was getting to spend the afternoon on a secluded beach...dreaming and talking with God.

Being a "Down East" girl at heart, I love to hear  the sound of the breaking surf, feeling the wet sand between my toes as I walk bare foot along the edge of the water, looking for interesting and beautiful treasures that are a product of the churning surf.

This day was no different, my attention was drawn and captured by the variety and smoothness of the stones I saw as I walked along the beach.

I found a particularly smooth one and loved the feel of it in my hand...it was warm and perfectly oval, not a bump or rough edge could be found on this little pebble.

As I began to collect other smooth stones in a variety of shapes and colors....God began to speak to me.

I followed the journey of one little stone as it was tossed along by the waves on the edge of the beach.

This was  a  rock that had already spent many years being buffeted by the waves.

 At first glance, it already appeared quite smooth, but as you held it in your hand, you could feel the edges that were yet to be warn away. 

I watched as the waves would pick up and flip this little stone. 

Over and over again, it was turned upside down, often it appeared to be in constant movement and turmoil. Sometimes other rocks that were being tossed by the same strong wave, would find themselves being tossed together and in the process they would crash into and rub up against one another.  The waves would carry them on together tossing and churning for a while, and then this same crashing wave would send them along different paths. 

At times the little stone would come to rest momentarily in the warm sand.  I imagined it to be very thankful for the reprieve from the constant buffeting that seemed to be it's sole existence.

Just as the warm sun would begin to dry off the little stone and it would appear that it had found a place where it was no longer within reach of the surf....a stronger wave would stretch a little further in land,  pick up the stone and carry it along once again. 

As I lost sight of the rock, I considered the process that was refining and smoothing it.

The years of tossing and turning and having it's world turned upside down time and again. I thought of the friction it had endured, the washing of the waves and the moments maybe even days in the sun .

Through all of this, God was speaking and bringing revelation to me.

Revelation of the process, not so different from that of the little stone, that He uses and allows in each one of our lives. The way that we can feel tossed and even that our lives have been turned upside down at times; yet we are able to rest and regain strength as we bask in the SON. That in all of it, there is purpose...to smooth off the yet rough edges, and make us more like Him.  The joy and warmth He feels when He holds us in His hand and enjoys  who we have become as we have endured and even submitted to the process. 

Yet even as He holds us close...He knows the areas that require still more refining...more tossing in the waves.