Bible Verses for Diamonds by Hawk Nelson

My family loves Diamonds by Hawk Nelson.  This song has a pretty simple premise: God used the difficult trials in our lives to make us better and more like Him.  The Bible talks about this in many ways.  It shows us examples in stories like Joseph being sold into slavery by His brothers, yet ultimately saving many from a famine.  A man was born blind just so that years later Jesus could heal him and bring God the glory. The Bible compares us to clay being molded by a potter and precious metals and stones being refined by fire.  Yet, God's Word reminds us that He is with us through the trials and that He is making us more like His Son.  It also tells us the purpose of all of it: bringing glory to God.

While I was looking through God's Word for some verses for this song, I kept coming back to Romans 8:26-39.  It hits all of the points in the song: difficult circumstances being used by God, the Spirit interceding in our prayers because God's ways are better than our plans, and God's love never leaving us even through terrible circumstances.  The depiction of the early Church martyrs as conquerors is a powerful one.  We can see these people in the worst of circumstances and yet triumphant because death can't take God from them.  In fact, it brings them to His very presence and they have this last opportunity on earth to bring Him glory.  These thoughts change our perspective.  We become trophies of God's grace (Ephesians 2:7) and each trial becomes a tool for God's glory.  No wonder James could "count it all joy" when he came into difficult circumstances.  God truly redeems each struggle in our life, bringing beauty out of ashes and diamonds out of dust.

Romans 8:26-39 

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here is coauthor Jon Steingard's explanation of this song:

Diamonds

Writers: Jason Ingram, Matthew Bronleewe, Jon Steingard

Verse 1:
Here and now I'm in the fire, in above my head

Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you."

Being held under the pressure, don't know what will be left

Psalm 66:10-12 For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.

But it's here in the ashes I'm finding treasure

James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Chorus:
He's making diamonds, making diamonds
He's making diamonds out of dust

Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

He is refining in his timing
He's making diamonds out of us

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 

Verse 2:
I'll surrender to the power of being crushed by love

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

‘Til the beauty that was hidden isn't covered up

Isaiah 61:1-3 (Darby) The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me, because Jehovah hath anointed me to announce glad tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, that beauty should be given unto them instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness: that they might be called terebinths of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.

It's not what I hoped for. It's something much better

God says in Isaiah 55:8-9  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Bridge:
Oh the joy of the Lord it will be my strength

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

When the pressure is on He's making Diamonds

Malachi 3:17  (NKJV) “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”

I won't be afraid to shine

Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

‘Cuz He's making diamonds out of dust
Making diamonds out of us

God says in Isaiah 48:10 "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction."