12/09/2025
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Finding the Treasure in the Trouble
Having a hard time finding good in all the bad? Let's talk about it...
KARI HAYWOOD CHAIREZ
DEC 2
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brown jewelry box beside concrete stairs
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
If you’re following along in my Advent Devotional Thrills of Hope, we are on day 2, and the theme for today is treasure.
In reading through Luke 2, Mary’s response to her circumstances always leaves me in awe. Not only did she conceive Jesus as a virgin, but then she had to go through labor in a stable. Then later, she and Joseph lose track of Jesus and find him teaching in the temple courts. Both times, scripture says Mary “treasured all these things” (verse 19 and 51).
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Let me tell you, I think I would’ve had a real hard time treasuring anything in those circumstances. Birth in a stable? Losing a child (even briefly)? No, thanks. I’m going to probably be worrying and complaining. But Mary found treasure in the trouble! Whew.
If anyone needs to be taking notes on this, it’s me. While I love our little girl so deeply, I do not stop nearly enough to see the treasure. I see the sea of toys on the living room floor. I see the time ticking away as she insists on buckling herself into her car seat. I see my patience wearing thin as she asks question after question to seemingly no end.
And yet.
What I should be seeing is the life and joy that’s happening in our living room. I should enjoy the moments I get to see our daughter unlock a new skill and exhibit confidence in practicing it. I should see is her knowledge expanding through her inquisitive nature and attention to detail. Yet I fail so many times to treasure.
I think back on the last few years with these thoughts in mind—
A global pandemic? There was a lot of trouble. But there was also a lot of treasure there, too. Things moved a little slower. We found inventive ways to go about life when the whole world seemed to be shutting down. We explored hobbies, read more, and connected more with the people under our roofs. Looking back now, I wish I had treasured more. In the process, I just wanted the world to get back to “normal.” But things are in a constant state of change. Each day marks the world we live in and changes it for the future. But if we can move with it without it changing us and our faith in God, then the treasure should really be abundant.
Over the last couple of years, we’ve had to deal with inflation. The price of everything has skyrocketed, leaving many families trying to figure out how to make the very short ends meet. There’s been a lot of trouble. But, speaking from my personal experiences, we’ve found more people to be more generous with their resources. In fact, just the other day, the Hispanic church that meets in our building a few days out of the week dropped a box of protein shakes off at our door to distribute to others in need. And just as soon as the box was left, someone in need of that very thing walked in the door (and I mean within minutes of each other).
I’ve personally used the rising cost of things to cause me to reevaluate what I’m willing to buy and what fat can be trimmed. From subscription services I barely use to generic brands of goods I once overlooked out of brand loyalty, I’ve found new ways to trim or reallocate funds. We’ve gotten creative with our entertainment, eat more at home instead of at restaurants or delivery (which is inevitably healthier), and enjoy the variety of things we already have. There’s a lot of treasure here if we’re willing to see it.
There will always be trouble on this side of heaven. While we may have a rest from certain kinds of trouble for a season, there’s always a circumstance looming around the corner that may challenge our ability to see the blessings in front of us.
Maybe you’ve entered these weeks before Christmas with the weight of a lot of trouble. My prayer for you today is that you can stop, even in the turmoil, and find the ways God is blessing. Because, while the trouble may seem to abound, the treasure that you find in the midst of it all is what can stir hope in your heart for the days ahead.
Peer through the fog of your circumstances—what sparkles?
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In the meantime, check out the latest LifeHerStyle podcast episode!
20. Christmas Through My Child's Eyes | with Baby Girl Chairez
Kari Haywood Chairez
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