April Blog - Women's Ministry

Peace, Quiet, and a Shell?

by Traci Hollingsworth

About a month ago, I was in a space where I was reflecting and spending time with the Lord outside of my normal spaces with Him. It’s a sweet delight to spend intentional time with Him. I hope there are times in your rhythm when you get to experience this.

In times like this, the gift of silence and reflection is a space I look forward to and am thankful for. That day, as I sat in the silence of His warm, relaxing, beckoning, trying to quiet my mind and find a space that was peaceful, I cleared my mind. The thought of relaxing and watching the ocean gently come ashore in low tide was the center of my thoughts. The waves were gracefully rolling in and out, as a friend said so descriptively, “where the water kisses the sand”; the water itself was crystal clear. The rhythm was like a metronome; in and out, over and over. Shiny pebbles and miniature shells shuffled around in a dance under the water. As the salty ocean moved over the sand, a small shell came into view, but this one was different. It was coiled up in a circle and mother-of-pearl in luster. I sat in this picture curious, but at peace, enjoying the quiet God gave.

After my time of quiet, I was intrigued by this shell; why is it circular? What is this something real or imaginary? What could it mean? A few days later, I went to my computer to look up circular seashells and mother-of-pearl in color. Several pictures came up in my search. As I scrolled through the photographs, one caught my eye. It was like the picture of tranquility that I think God let my mind wander to. I wanted to know about it. I found there are several interpretations/meanings of this shell, but I preferred to focus on the Christian imagery that it represented. I was stilled by what I found …

Here are the answers … but, firstly, I want to share a picture:

 The Christian focus of meaning in this shell, while this shell is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Bible, its Christian symbolism/meaning holds and still holds my attention.

• Growth and Transformation:

The nautilus's shell grows in a spiral, constantly expanding into new chambers, mirroring the idea of spiritual growth and transformation as one moves forward in life.

(I feel a deep desire for this growth and transformation. Do you?)

• Perseverance and Looking Ahead:

Like the Nautilus that continues to build new chambers, Christians are encouraged to focus on the future and leave behind the past, as seen in Luke 9:62 and Philippians 3:13-14. 1

(What a great reminder to think about our future and the opportunities God has for us.)

• Perfection and Order:

The Nautilus shell's mathematically perfect spiral form can be seen as a symbol of God’s order and perfection, … 1

(We only need to think about the perfection of humankind, or the inspiration of nature, or the beauty of each flower to see His order and perfection.

• Renewal and Expansion:

The Nautilus's ability to constantly expand and renew itself is seen as a symbol of God's grace and the possibility of continuous spiritual growth and renewal. 1

(I love the way God is constantly calling believers to renewal while He offers His grace and sanctification.)

• Metaphor for Spiritual Life:

Some spiritual leaders use the Nautilus shell as a metaphor for the spiritual life, comparing the hard outer shell to the challenges of life and the soft inner body to the spiritual heart. 1

(It is inspiring for me to recognize that our heart informs the softness of the Holy Spirit in our life – the dependency of us on the LORD, and our exterior can reflect the armor He gives to deflect the world.)

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We are just days before Easter and the celebration of the risen Christ. It is my prayer, as I send this that you, that you are able to find a space to spend time with the LORD, still your mind, quiet your heart, give thanks for what Jesus has done for us and receive the love of the LORD in his abundance for you.

- Traci Hollingsworth