In the Hard

The hard is where the transformation happens.

There will inevitably come a time in your transformation journey when you’re hit—either by something sudden or by pressure that’s been silently building, slamming into you like a wall you never saw coming.

This isn’t about the small overwhelm—the “I had a bad day” kind of hard. This is the gut-punching, tear-holding, I-don’t-know-if-I-can-do-this kind of hard.

The kind that presses so deeply you feel like you’re about to break under the weight of it all.

And while I could give you steps and strategies, or tell you how I’ve been through my own hell and back, I want to share something else with you:

The diamond analogy.

What Does a Diamond Have to Do with Your Pain?

Diamonds are formed deep in the Earth's mantle under intense heat and pressure. The process can take millions—even billions—of years. No two are the same. Like snowflakes, each diamond forms its own pattern, its own story.

But here’s where it gets really interesting...

For a diamond to even reach the surface, it must be carried upward by a powerful eruption of magma. This creates a vertical channel of rock called a kimberlite pipe. Now, here’s the wild part:

👉 Only about 10% of known kimberlite pipes contain diamonds.

👉 Less than 2% have commercial-grade quantities.

👉 And only around 1% are economically viable for mining.

That means very few diamonds make it to the surface and are ever recognized for their worth.

So you might be thinking…

“Okay, Lisa… That Sounds Kinda Hopeless.”

"You’re telling me all this pressure happens, and yet most diamonds are never even used or seen? How is that supposed to make anyone feel good?"

Fair question.

But here's the truth: even the kimberlite pipes that don’t hold commercial diamond value are incredibly important.

They’re of high scientific value because they help researchers understand the Earth’s deep interior—layers we can’t access any other way.

They reveal the unseen.

They carry information that would otherwise be lost.

Sound familiar?

Your Value Is Not Measured by the World’s Standards

Just like those hidden diamonds, your value doesn’t disappear just because you’re not praised, seen, or celebrated by the world.

Your worth is not determined by who notices—but by who made you. And God never misses a thing.

Even when the pressure brings pain, agony, anxiety, or stress—when you keep your eyes on the Lord, He will use your story.

A story someone else needs.

Because they can’t see the other side yet—but you can.

Your endurance becomes their encouragement.

Your scars become their sign of hope.

Your pressure becomes their proof that God still delivers.

Where Are Your Eyes?

So I leave you with this:

Where are your eyes in the breaking?

In the hard? In the pressure?

Are you focused on yourself—or on what God might want to do through you?

This doesn’t make your pain less than.

But it gives you something stronger than your own strength:

Perspective.

Purpose.

And faith in a God who wastes nothing.

You may feel hidden, under pressure, or unsure if what you’re going through will ever be “worth it.”

But just like those diamonds—whether the world sees you or not—you hold unshakable value.

In the hard is where the transformation happens.

And in the pressure is where God shapes His most powerful testimonies.

This is the last thing I will leave with,

Keep going, people will know your story.