Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil,
and let us see what we are made of.
Charles Spurgeon
(piping plovers dig deep into the sand in search of tasty morsels / Julie Cook / 2018)
What is it about digging that leaves us uneasy?
Not the type of literal digging with a shovel, but rather the digging into one’s self.
A metaphorical digging.
Digging deep within in order to discover what makes us who we are.
Chances are most of us don’t much care–
Or don’t much really want to know…
We live day to day, doing our thing, whatever that thing might be…
so to uncover anything extra is not seen as a necessity for survival.
Something more trouble than its worth.
Yet these little plovers spend every waking daylight hour poking and prodding deep into the
wet sand in search of something to eat.
They never tire nor abandon their quest.
The lives of plovers obviously depend upon their digging, poking, and prodding.
Our lives…not so much.
Our sustenance is dependant upon the digging of others.
So we don’t much worry about real digging.
So introspective digging is not considered essential to life.
And therefore, obviously not needed.
And if the truth be told, we find it uncomfortable.
And who wants to be uncomfortable??
And yet we are living in a time of the self-help generation, the hashtag generation,
the generation of whatever the latest cause is that’s coming down the pike.
We jump on the latest bandwagon believing, whatever bandwagon it is, that it will make us happy,
make us complete, make us real… all the while making us content in our lives of
here and now.
All the while we are an angry people, a self-consumed people, a distrusting people,
a sallow people a divided people, a lost people…
who just so happen to find ourselves longing only to be happy and content…
And yet we join the movements.
We jump on the causes.
We play the parts.
We profess the earthly falsehoods as some sort of lasting truth.
However…
Bandwagons are fickled.
Hashtags will come and go.
Angst will fester.
Worldly happiness is fleeting.
and fulfillment comes at a cost to self-worth…
Dig deeper for the what is pure, what is lasting.
Dig for that which will not fade, will not leave, will not falter, will not leave
you longing…
When you dig, what do you find…
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe,
lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine on them
2 Corinthians 4:4
cookiecrumbstoliveby 
Love this, Julie. Iām digging deeper for something that will never fade and will last forever! Amen! Thank you for sharing.
Blessings, Hayley šš
Thank you for the sweet words and great thought Hayley!! Blessings for your digging š
As we are constant works in progress, this is a daily exercise for me. I seem to take one step forward and two back at times and then have to reevaluate and start over again. Digging deep in the Bible has always been my source of strength to go on. When things get tough, I find the greatest solace in that. Thanks for your again wonderful message today.
sorry about the game—we watched it last night and I was so hopeful for the Vikings—and so hopeful Jacksonville could have beat New Englnad…why is it always New England???!!
Back home now and sorting laundry!
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
This is great. I am so glad that it finally loaded (locked up the first time I tried to load the page). In one of my devotionals lately, the writer basically asked, “What are you waiting for? What are you afraid of? If you really love Jesus, start cleaning house and digging deeper.” Thanks for the added emphasis.
Thanks for the kind words Mark—as Spring is on the horizon—it is that time to think about cleaning house—litterally as well as figuratively—Lent is a great time for such!
We have an extra reason. On 10 March, one son arrives with his kids. The other arrives the next day. We’ll have 6 adults, two teen-agers, and three children (9, 5, and 3) in a two-person house. My wife and I are clearing paths through the clutter just to make room for air mattresses.
Oh, Mark, you and your wife are a brave couple!!!
Good luck and don’t step on anyone in the middle of the night!
I’ve done some digging lately, Julie, and not liked everything I have uncovered. Thanks for this
you and me both Wally—got a stress test on Wednesday—that should be fun…they should call it, “how out of shape is Julie” test š
Oh….is it routine? Or for some reason?
well—i told her I’ve had some chest pain lately but I have a hiatal hernia and peptic ulcer diseae—so it’s most likely that–I do take perscription for the p.u.d business…and since I’ve got to have that balsted tooth implant—they want to know the heart is good to go—you, know, since I’m now at “that age”…geez louise
Ah…many prayers. Yeah…that aged. I can relate. People keep saying those words to me also, as it you aren’t as young as you used to be, you are “that age.” Sheesh right?
Exactly
So absolutely beautiful, true, and timely. In my own life as I’m sure it is in so many others. You do such amazing justice to both God’s gifts of writing and photography that you almost tempt me to jealousy (thankfully the Spirit keeps it on the correct side of almost). As for that “age”, I always reply to people who bring that issue up that I’m the exact age the Lord intended me to be. Those plovers are sure beautiful birds.
thank you David—the plovers are the cutest birds—they shuttle back and forth, scooting here and there as fast as lightening—and I greatly appreciate your kind words —
Good word from Spurgeon on how trials dig us up…the only digging I enjoy though is through the Word of God.