Episode 30: Pressure Produces Purpose / Diamonds, Discipline, and Destiny

 Diamonds Are Formed Under Pressure 

Nobody enjoys pressure—but what if it’s the very thing shaping you into who you were created to be? In this episode of the Change Chasers Podcast, we dive into how pressure can reveal your character, build endurance, bring clarity, and unlock your potential.

This one is for anyone feeling the weight of life right now—don’t quit in the process. Diamonds are formed under pressure, and so are you.

 Listen now and be encouraged to keep chasing change and living with purpose.

#ChangeChasers #Podcast #DiamondsUnderPressure

Faith in Action // Change in Motion

Transcript

0:19

Well, hey friends. Welcome back to the Change Chasers podcast. I am absolutely so glad that you are here today. I will go ahead and start off with this question of thinking about, have you ever felt the weight of life pressing down on you, whether it's stress deadlines, financial struggles, relationship challenges, or just the feeling that things are harder than they should be? Then hey, guess what y'all, today's episode is just for you. We're talking about this powerful truth that diamonds are formed. Under pressure. So think about that. The most valuable, most sought after gems in the world don't appear shiny and perfect overnight. They're forged deep underground, under extreme heat and pressure, and in the same way the pressures of life can shape us, refine us, and bring out something in us that we never thought possible. So with that said, today I wanna share with you, we're gonna go into this episode. I don't know, we'll kind of see what happens organically here, but maybe three or four, as I call them, hot takes that we will be able to talk through. About how pressure can produce purpose in our lives. So friends, let's dive in. Hot take number one, pressure reveals what you're made of. When I stop and I think about that, I think that, you don't know the strength of a bridge until it's tested. You ever stop and thought about that? We want a bridge to be really strong whenever we're driving across it, don't we? And then also I think about that you don't know the integrity of gold until it's refined by fire, fire, fire. And then you don't really know who you are until life presses in on you. Pressure isn't there to destroy you. And that's 100% something that I believe in my own personal life from walking through different journeys, different uphill climbs, so to speak. Right? And just knowing that pressure isn't there to destroy us, it's there to reveal to us our fortitude that we have for within. So when you're under stress. I think that your habits come out, your character comes out, and even your faith comes out. It's like squeezing an orange. Well, what happens when you squeeze? Squeeze an orange? Well, you get orange juice, correct? Right. I mean, what's on the inside is what comes out, and so. Thinking about that. I thought today we would just talk about some of these things that just real talk that we kind of go through in life and just some different challenges that we have that I know it's not always easy in order to navigate the pressures, the struggles, the really tough stuff in life. But I do think that instead of running from pressure, if we pay attention to what it reveals inside of us in the middle of the moment, right when pressure is hitting firm and hard and it's tough stuff, that if we can pay attention to what it reveals in us, then y'all, we have the opportunity to see what is happening from within. Are we operating out of fear? Are we operating out of frustration, or are we even operating out of doubt? And so thinking about that, I wanna encourage you today and just by saying, Hey, don't beat yourself up. Don't get all called up and all of the things that may drag you down because. We have the opportunity as we talk about every episode, chasing change and being able to grow as we go, and so you can have the opportunity to log your experience of how you are responding to a situation or even what is coming up from within you. You can take it as information and God can use that awareness to help grow you. And so here's my hope is that today's episode, y'all, it's gonna help each of us, you and me alike. When I was thinking through the content for this, I'm like, man, this is a good word, a good reminder for myself as well, because I just think about. The perspective that pressure is maybe like a mirror. Maybe you've not ever thought that, but I just think that it's, you know, it's like a mirror. It's an opportunity for us to see what is happening from within us. It's not intended to be something that is a negative thing. It's not a, a doom and gloom, poor, pitiful me. Right. It's pressure is not something that I personally do not think, and I'll be honest with you guys, that it's a daily grind and some days are better than others. Just like the same as you experience in your own life as well. But I think that whenever we go through the journey of life and different things. Go good in our lives and different things maybe bring a lot of pressure and it's not always so good, but that we have the opportunity to pivot our perspective, to be able to think about that. Going through stuff is not intended to take us out of the game, so to speak. Right. But to sharpen you. To sharpen me, to be able to help us to be able to have a formation maybe of discipline and even destiny. And so that makes me just stop and think about, in my notes I'd put down, I wanted to talk about how pressure builds endurance. So we're gonna jump in on hot take number two, pressure builds endurance. We live in a culture and we can all be like a little tap, tap, tap on your steering wheel for this one. We live in a culture that wants instant results, don't we? We want muscles without workouts. A yeah, right? We, we want wealth without all of the hard work. And you know what else? We want wisdom without waiting. But pressure doesn't give you shortcuts. I believe it gives you strength. And so if you stop and you just think about athletes, I work in a sports ministry and so I'm obviously, I'm around a lot of athletes and I think about athletes, y'all, they don't get faster or stronger by avoiding pressure. They lean into it, the sprints, the weight room, the drills, it's all pressure. And yet that's what makes them game day ready. And so when I think about life, I think it also can relate in a very similar way. Even in Romans, it tells us in chapter five it says that we can rejoice too when we run into problems and trials where we know that they help us to develop endurance and endurance develops strength of character and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And so when I stop and I go, wow, okay. You know, if we're, if we're allowing pressure to be a positive, a little bit of a twist, a little spin, maybe it can even kind of be sort of like a gym for your soul, right? Being able to get in the gym and do all the hard work. Uh, you can't skip leg day, can you? Because if you skip leg day, then. Man, you're gonna be unbalanced. And so just kind of thinking about, same thing in the game of life is that y'all, we can't skip pressure if we want to be mature, if we want to be strong, and if we wanna be prepared for the future. So my hope and thinking about this point is just to say, y'all, let's just. Let's embrace the idea that every ounce of pressure is building endurance for your purpose, for by purpose, for our purpose, for us to be able to go out and rock out that purpose, right? And so that pressure gives us the opportunity to build endurance for our purpose. Hot take number three, pressure produces clarity. Oh man. I'm just stopping and pausing for a second and thinking about all of the ways, gosh, there's so many examples that I could share today. And just thinking about how pressure in my own story, how it has produced clarity, and how it has helped me to. Be able to lean in honestly and trust the Lord more.'cause I think that pressure has a way of stripping away distractions. You know, it's when life presses in, you quickly learn what matters and what, frankly doesn't matter. I know whenever I went through the health scare and had the stroke back when I was 31 years old. I very quickly realized, oh man, life is but a vapor. Right? And I realized that who cares about stuff? You know, you just want to be able to have good health and be able to make it through that physical, you know, uphill climb, so to speak. And it was, it was a, it was a, uh, definitely a trying time to be able to recover from all of that. But I do really, really feel thankful that all of the distractions, all of the things that I thought were so important for my life and my future, no longer became something that was so pressing in the decisions that a daily made. And so maybe that's where you're at. Maybe you're in a season of life as well to where things maybe haven't necessarily went, gosh, how you would dream for them to go right. And just not being able to. Um, be as excited as you would like to be because of x, y, or Z of your life. You know, maybe you've been in a season where you thought that certain things were important and then crisis hit and you were like, whoa, snap, crackle, pop. Like that is not important anymore, you know? And so it could be something as simple, y'all as suddenly the gossip at work, it doesn't matter, or that minor inconvenience. It doesn't matter, right? The only thing that matters whenever we stop and we really allow ourselves to, to maybe pause and to be able to put into practice what we are giving power in our life, in the sense of how is pressure affecting us, is that we know the only thing that really matters is our faith, is our family, is our health and our purpose. And so with that, I just really wanted to make the point today and thinking through what kind of kept jumping out to me whenever I was thinking about this episode is that I truly, truly believe 100% that pressure brings priorities into focus. Pressure brings our priorities. Into focus, like what we prioritize y'all like, gosh. I mean, it is such a big part of how we live our lives, right? And then, so an example I thought I would make, and maybe this sounds cheesy or silly, but I like to cook. So I cook with a lot of olive oil. They say it's a good healthy oil, and I know that sometimes that changes, you know, whatever is healthy. Then a month later it's not healthy. So who knows? But olive oil is in a, if. Front runner run right now for being good for several years. So let's hope it, it stays there. But, uh, thinking about making olive oil, have you ever studied olive oil? Or maybe you haven't, but, um, the, the olives are f. Crushed, right? They are squashed. They're crushed. So that what's valuable can come out. And so without the crushing, then you don't get the oil. Without the pressure, y'all, you don't get to clearly see what you've been carrying all alone. And so the pressure brings out all of the good, right part of our purpose, part of our path, part of our plan. And so. Maybe that's a silly metaphor to put in there with that and a thought process, but I truly do think that, hey, good things can come outta pressing, you know? And so. Some good olive oil that we can, uh, be able to cook with whatever, you know, in the silliness that it may seem that it results in something being healthy for us. And so in that, just wanting to encourage you guys to ask yourself, what is it that pressure. Is teaching you about what really matters. Like whenever the writing is on the wall, so to speak, and things are coming, and you're just like, golly, man, this is kind of happening. Or maybe you've thought about it as this episode has been playing out today, and just thinking about how does pressure affect you? How do you operate whenever things don't go your way? And then, so just asking that question though to yourself is, what is it? The pressure is teaching me about what really matters, and then also thinking about the question of what can I learn in this time of pressing, and then how can I grow? In the situation. I think that those questions are really great questions to ask. It's some questions honestly, I'm asking myself as well, especially with just deciding to land on this topic, to put together and talk through. I actually did a talk at a, a girl's retreat, uh, probably, I don't know, it's been a few years ago, and I talked about how diamonds are formed under pressure, and so that thought just kind of started swimming around in my head again. And so that's where all of this. Is kind of coming from, and I was really kind of challenged on even naming this episode. And so I ended up, you know, uh, in my, I might change it, we'll see, but I'm kind of thinking it's gonna be diamonds, discipline and destiny, uh, because I love to play on, uh, d you know, or whatever the alliteration words of any words. And so I think that's always fun. But in thinking about those questions about. About how are we allowing whatever is pressing in on us to help also grow us in this situation? It makes me think about the next thing that I wanna talk about on Hot Take number four is how pressure unlocks your potential. Pressure unlocks your potential. And with that, I was again, kind of thinking about diamonds and I just segued just a moment ago into that. But just thinking about diamonds don't look like diamonds in the beginning, do they? If you've studied them at all, you know that they start out as carbon, just ordinary, overlooked, and just common. But y'all pressure transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. Yeah. How cool is that? To also think about, that can be you. That can be me as well. Not that we're turning into a diamond, but maybe you felt ordinary, maybe you felt overlooked. Maybe you've just felt common, but how pressure we can allow it to be something for our good. Right. And so thinking about. If you ever have felt, felt sad, maybe. Maybe you have felt some doom, gloom, or just woe is me. I call it IOR syndrome, right? Just woe is me. You know? But just maybe friends you have felt overlooked. Maybe you feel average, maybe you even feel like you don't measure up, but under pressure you're being transformed into something beautiful and. Really someone who is strong. And so I love the thought process of that because I do think that it makes me just stop and think that, you know what, here's the key with that is that. We don't quit in the middle of the process though, do we? Because if you quit, you're never gonna get what you could get in the outcome. Because the reality of it is, is sometimes it takes going through stuff to be able to be on the other side of it stronger and braver, and to be able to bask in the goodness of the completion of whatever has happened. And so it's the same kind of thing about diamonds. I think that diamonds, you know, we know they're not formed overnight. And then sweet friends, I also know that neither is your purpose. I do really truly believe that God is faithful all the days, every single day. I have an expression that I say often that God is faithful and I am grateful. And so thinking about all of the ways we can be grateful, and even in the pressing of times, right. The most pressing and the most pressure ridden times is that God may be using this very pressure in your life to unlock something inside you. Maybe there's a creativity. Maybe there's leadership skills that you have. Perhaps there is resiliency with you that needs to come out so that it can strengthen and grow someone else. Perhaps even. Hey, you know what? Sweet friends, God's growing your courage that you didn't even know that you had. Because I do believe that he is for us. I do believe he is so very faithful. I even think about though, as a person, not even as a Christian necessarily, but as a person in general. Again, I don't know your faith journey where you're at. If you're not a Christian and you're listening, then by all means, uh, I hope that you'll keep on listening because I'm hoping that this is. Helping to encourage you as you are navigating life. I can tell you that God is good all the time and all the time God is good. That's an expression that I know, um, most of us know often and, and we've heard throughout our lives. But the reality of it is, is that what I wanna say is regardless of your walk and with the Lord, is that I truly, truly believe that you have a purpose. And that I do hope if you don't know Jesus, then that you'll come to know him and know that he is so, so good. He's so for you that he has such a love for you that he does not want you to second guess. Anything about who you are, then I think about with pressure y'all, that we can be able to just stop and, and just have a moment to even think about how pressure helps us to grow with internal fortitude. I think that whenever we are truly allowing ourselves to grow as we go, so to speak, as I like to say on this podcast, but the internal fortitude that is being forged for the future. Is so amazingly, I mean, just outlandish in such a good way, right? Because we can't even predict in the levels of which we're going to be able to grow and be and accomplish. Because whenever you just stop and you just think about. Man, not necessarily knowing what's coming next. We know that unmet expectations are real. They're hard, they're tough stuff, right? But we also know that being victorious is such a gift we give ourselves. And so sometimes it's a matter of a choice that we get to choose, Hey, you know what? I'm going to choose internal fortitude that I'm gonna be able to beat this situation, that I'm going to choose Victor. For this situation in my life. And sometimes it is as simple as that and we might not always think of it in that way, but that's been my deal. If I can change my stinking thinking, y'all, it sure does change a whole lot of other things in my life too. And so for you, I mean, I just wanna encourage you in that perhaps maybe you'll find a way to figure out, okay, how do you get in alignment with your internal strength and your self-belief that with God all things are possible in his strength, in his might, in his wisdom, in his love, in his light, in his goodness, in His grace. Y'all man, even in the hope that we get to have in who he is. And basking in that hope. In the sense of that we may be the man or the woman who trust and knows that you can do hard things. Just as diamonds are formed 100 miles beneath the Earth's crust in the dark, under pressure, y'all beauty and value. Is formed. I truly feel the same way for us as humans, as men and women who are willing to allow pressure to forge your future into beautiful, fruitful, and rejuvenated lives types of ways, and allowing us to be able to. Be overcomers folks who maybe you endure pressure, maybe you're in a season right now of being like under pressure. Uh, but in all seriousness of just that. Whatever you are enduring that it is not forever, right? But then how can you learn? How can you grow? How can you allow pressure to reveal your character? How can you allow pressure to build endurance? How can you allow pressure to bring clarity and even unlock your potential? It's just some questions that I would love to throw your waist sling right on over for you to stop and think about, and. So with that said, I'm gonna recap and we're gonna close out this episode, but hot take number one was that pressure reveals what you're made of. Number two was pressure builds endurance. Number three, pressure produces clarity. And number four, pressure unlocks your potential. So that's just kind of a quick little recap to get you to stop and just thinking about how are you allowing. Your potential to be able to be formed, how are you deciding that, Hey, you know what, no matter what life tries to throw my way, I am going to choose to allow myself to grow. And I know that the truth is that nobody likes being under pressure. Right? It's uncom. But hey, we talked about it in the episode today that just like diamonds, what feels like crushing may be turning into something with brilliance tomorrow and way off the charts of value. And so that could be anything. It doesn't have to be monetarily, right, but just the value of even good, clear thinking. Praise the Lord for that, right? Again, as I like to often say, no stinking thinking. So friends, I just, I really want to say that wherever you are, whether you feel pressed financially, emotionally, relationally, or even spiritually, please don't lose hope. Don't give up. You are being shaped, you're being refined, and I truly believe that you are being strengthened for something greater. I just made some shirts to sell at a, a women's event coming up and on the shirt I put on the front and I've gotten several people whenever I wear it, they're like, oh, I like that shirt. And it says, I give up giving up. I give up, giving up. And so that's kind of how I wanna. End out with this episode today is just to allow us with the encouragement of knowing that man, y'all, we get to be strengthened for something greater. And just like how we're reminded that, you know, our good old diamonds, right, they are formed under pressure. And then also, I really love the thought process that, something so significant, something that is. Gosh, if you get married and you get engaged, the guy buys the girl the diamond ring and it's just such a significant sign of I choose you. Right? And we know the value that diamonds have and especially, um, jewelry wise just all the things that go along with a thought process of a diamond. We hear the expression diamonds are a girl's best friend, but knowing that diamonds are formed. Under pressure real diamonds. That is right. They're not fake. They're not being made in a lab and neither are we. Y'all. Pressure if we will allow, it gets to be the birthplace of potential. Isn't that something good to stop and think about? That pressure will get to be the birthplace of potential if we let it. All right. Well, thanks for hanging out with me today on another episode of the Change Chasers podcast. Sweet. Friends, if this encouraged you, I do hope that you will share it with a friend who might need the reminder that even in the pressures of life that they are seen, they are valued and they are loved. And even to add on there they are. Heard. Mm. And they're enough. I mean, we could go down all of the words of affirmation line, couldn't we? But just really, truly wanna say thanks for the gift of your time. I do hope that as we are continuing to day in and day out, operate that we will choose to operate with the idea in a positive twist. That pressure can be the birthplace of potential for what is coming next. So don't let it get you down. Let's let it get us up and going and pursuing. Our next best yeses for whatever the Lord would entrust us to have in our days. And so sweet Friends, I wanna encourage you, let's keep chasing change and let's keep living with purpose. Goodbye sweet friends.