It lay unobtrusive in the belly of the oyster
Under the cold blue waters
A single grain of sand
An irritant
The beginning of a blessing

Trouble twists and turns us
Along the path
But God uses hardships
For our benefit
The Lord transforms our perils into pearls
It is only through the irritant
That a pearl is formed
It is only through difficulty
That our character is carved
Into Christ’s likeness
The Holy Spirit uses our pain
To produce within us His priceless pearls
Building blocks comprising Christian maturity

Joseph felt the sting
When his brothers sold him into slavery
When Potiphar thrust him into prison
Though innocent

But these years made him
Into a man
Wise and full of integrity
At the appointed time
God lifted him to a place of prominence
Second in command of Egypt
The Lord transforms our perils into pearls
Suffering into a treasure of the sea
As we offer Him our lives,
God is changing you and me
Here is an article that highlights this truth https://www2.cbn.com/devotions/suffering-transformed
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 NIV