1 00:00:10,789 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're glad to have you 2 00:00:13,620 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: listening with us. Today's topic is how to find the 3 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: hidden treasures that God has placed in your life. We'll 4 00:00:19,980 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: return with the devotional after a brief message from our sponsors. 5 00:00:37,020 --> 00:00:41,020 Speaker 1: Find Hidden Treasures from God, written and read by Whitney Hopler. 6 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,459 Speaker 1: They tunnel through the rock, their eyes see all its treasures. 7 00:00:45,979 --> 00:00:50,470 Speaker 1: Joke 2810 NIV On a trip to Norway, I went 8 00:00:50,510 --> 00:00:53,210 Speaker 1: through so many tunnels while traveling in cars and trains 9 00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:56,950 Speaker 1: that I completely lost count. As I traveled through the tunnels, 10 00:00:57,350 --> 00:01:00,350 Speaker 1: I thought about the incredible engineering required to blast through 11 00:01:00,490 --> 00:01:03,410 Speaker 1: all that hard rock. I also thought about all the 12 00:01:03,470 --> 00:01:07,390 Speaker 1: natural treasures that are hidden deep inside rock. More than 13 00:01:07,390 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: 4,000 different kinds of beautiful minerals and gemstones can be 14 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: buried in rocks all around our planet. When people tunnel 15 00:01:14,740 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: through rock, they may discover quartz, garnet, amethyst, and many 16 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,930 Speaker 1: more varieties of treasures. Joke 2810 points out that tunneling 17 00:01:23,950 --> 00:01:27,830 Speaker 1: through rock reveals treasures. It's necessary to make an effort 18 00:01:27,870 --> 00:01:30,850 Speaker 1: to find treasures. But treasures are there waiting to be 19 00:01:30,890 --> 00:01:33,490 Speaker 1: discovered when we're willing to do the work of trying 20 00:01:33,530 --> 00:01:37,710 Speaker 1: to find them. God is constantly pouring blessings into your life, 21 00:01:38,209 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: and every single one of those blessings is a treasure, 22 00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:43,940 Speaker 1: but some of them may be hidden until you make 23 00:01:43,980 --> 00:01:46,919 Speaker 1: an effort to search for them. If you explore and 24 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: ask God to help you find the treasures He has 25 00:01:49,020 --> 00:01:51,890 Speaker 1: given you, you'll start to see that God's goodness is 26 00:01:51,940 --> 00:01:55,910 Speaker 1: glittering all around you. God's goodness is in the breath 27 00:01:56,130 --> 00:01:58,850 Speaker 1: filling your lungs right now and the strength in your 28 00:01:58,890 --> 00:02:02,230 Speaker 1: legs that lets you walk across the room. You can 29 00:02:02,370 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: see it when you enjoy a good meal or turn 30 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:08,700 Speaker 1: on the tap for clean water, or drive home safely 31 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: without any trouble. Even a frustrating red light can be 32 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,019 Speaker 1: God protecting you from danger ahead, and a quiet, boring 33 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,859 Speaker 1: day can be God's way of giving you peace. Once 34 00:02:20,900 --> 00:02:23,700 Speaker 1: you start looking, you'll see that God is taking care 35 00:02:23,740 --> 00:02:27,860 Speaker 1: of you in countless ways every single day. Even when 36 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,700 Speaker 1: you find yourself traveling through a difficult season that feels 37 00:02:30,740 --> 00:02:34,740 Speaker 1: like being stuck inside a dark tunnel, These hidden treasures 38 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,620 Speaker 1: are still there. In fact, some of God's most valuable 39 00:02:38,660 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: blessings are formed in the dark. Just as pressure and 40 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,780 Speaker 1: heat create diamonds deep beneath the earth's surface, hard times 41 00:02:47,139 --> 00:02:52,239 Speaker 1: can produce beautiful spiritual qualities like patience and kindness that 42 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,810 Speaker 1: help you grow in holiness. When you're inside a dark 43 00:02:55,889 --> 00:02:59,210 Speaker 1: tunnel of suffering in this fallen world, it's easy to 44 00:02:59,270 --> 00:03:02,549 Speaker 1: doubt God's love for you. But if you look closely, 45 00:03:02,850 --> 00:03:05,530 Speaker 1: you'll find that God has placed the most valuable treasure 46 00:03:05,570 --> 00:03:09,750 Speaker 1: of all, God's presence with you, right there in the dark. 47 00:03:10,650 --> 00:03:14,350 Speaker 1: By finding God's presence with you, you can also discover 48 00:03:14,389 --> 00:03:17,690 Speaker 1: God's blessings for you, which you wouldn't notice if you 49 00:03:17,710 --> 00:03:21,530 Speaker 1: weren't focused on your relationship with God. You have to 50 00:03:21,590 --> 00:03:24,350 Speaker 1: change how you look at your daily circumstances so you 51 00:03:24,389 --> 00:03:27,910 Speaker 1: can find treasures from God. Instead of just trying to 52 00:03:27,990 --> 00:03:31,010 Speaker 1: hurry through your days, ask God to help you notice 53 00:03:31,050 --> 00:03:34,630 Speaker 1: His work in your life. You need to look closely 54 00:03:34,690 --> 00:03:37,410 Speaker 1: at your life while praying for God's guidance to find 55 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:41,180 Speaker 1: the hidden ways God is supporting, protecting, and loving you 56 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: right now. When you make an effort to seek God 57 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,420 Speaker 1: and look for the wonder of God's work in your life, 58 00:03:48,100 --> 00:03:51,220 Speaker 1: you can see all the blessings God is generously giving you. 59 00:03:52,330 --> 00:03:55,470 Speaker 1: So look beyond the surface of your life and seek God. 60 00:03:56,090 --> 00:03:59,790 Speaker 1: Get excited about discovering all the beautiful hidden treasures God 61 00:03:59,810 --> 00:04:04,810 Speaker 1: has placed in your life. Intersecting Faith in Life As 62 00:04:04,830 --> 00:04:08,220 Speaker 1: you consider how to find hidden treasures from God, reflect 63 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,380 Speaker 1: on these questions. What's one treasure God has already given 64 00:04:12,460 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: you that you might easily overlook if you're too busy 65 00:04:15,700 --> 00:04:19,850 Speaker 1: to find it but you can when you let yourself 66 00:04:19,970 --> 00:04:23,929 Speaker 1: rest and focus on God more. When you look back 67 00:04:24,190 --> 00:04:28,100 Speaker 1: at a past difficult season, what spiritual treasures did God 68 00:04:28,140 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: develop in you through that hard time? How can you 69 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,659 Speaker 1: train yourself to see God's daily goodness rather than just 70 00:04:35,700 --> 00:04:39,860 Speaker 1: focusing on your problems? Who are the people in your 71 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:42,940 Speaker 1: life who you realize are blessings from God when you 72 00:04:42,990 --> 00:04:46,630 Speaker 1: make time to reflect on them? How can you thank 73 00:04:46,710 --> 00:04:51,020 Speaker 1: them and thank God for them today. What's one of 74 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,460 Speaker 1: God's promises from the Bible that you carry like a 75 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: hidden treasure in your heart and mind this week? Further reading, 76 00:04:57,980 --> 00:05:02,900 Speaker 1: Isaiah 45.3, Colossians 2.3, Proverbs 2.4-5, Matthew 13.44, Psalm 119.162. 77 00:05:15,810 --> 00:05:18,330 Speaker 2: If you're looking to grow in prayer or start your 78 00:05:18,350 --> 00:05:20,210 Speaker 2: day with your heart focused on the right things, search 79 00:05:20,250 --> 00:05:22,630 Speaker 2: for Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app and 80 00:05:22,650 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 2: be sure to follow the show So you get a 81 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,619 Speaker 2: new prayer delivered straight to you each morning. 82 00:05:56,750 --> 00:06:00,210 Speaker 3: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 83 00:06:00,270 --> 00:06:03,950 Speaker 3: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 84 00:06:04,010 --> 00:06:06,900 Speaker 3: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 85 00:06:06,940 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 3: deeper in their faith. Thank devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 86 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,059 Speaker 3: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 87 00:06:16,380 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 3: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 88 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 3: We built the good word based on the audience survey 89 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,460 Speaker 3: so many of you filled out a few months back. 90 00:06:24,740 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 3: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 91 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,300 Speaker 3: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 92 00:06:30,339 --> 00:06:32,930 Speaker 3: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 93 00:06:33,230 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 3: We'd love to have you.