“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NLT)
While making granola for George last week, I got to thinking about coconut oil and how it needs to be heated before it will blend well with the other ingredients in a recipe.
I’m like coconut oil sometimes. My heart and mind are too firm to wrap around what the LORD has for me; He has to allow the heat of life to soften me up.
Like when George enlisted in the Navy. It was 1990 and we’d been married thirteen years. We’d always done everything together and suddenly he was away more than he was home. He had boot camp, “A” schools, “C” schools, and deployments. Our children were in second and third grade when George enlisted and middle schoolers before his first shore duty in 1995. He missed almost every holiday, birthday, and anniversary. I was living the life of a “sea widow” and overwhelmed by all the changes and added responsibilities.
I was a hot mess! A messy blob of goo and ready to run wherever Jesus led. I needed His help and was desperate for His answers on how to survive another day. I read and reread my Bible. I prayed before reading; begging Holy Spirit to help me understand the message, and the heart of the One who inspired them.
As I read about all the things the LORD did for His people and how He responded to their choices, my understanding of His character grew. My relationship with the Jesus who saved me from my sin was developing into something much more personal and intense. He was heating things up and changing the look and feel of my everyday life. I was learning to seek and follow Jesus. Day by day and choice by choice He was showing me the way to live a life of joy and peace.
My life was being literally transformed by the renewing of my mind. I was slowly becoming a whole new me, but without losing any of the qualities that are uniquely me.
Wow! Who knew melting coconut oil to make granola would trigger such a sweet reminder of God’s grace? Now every time I pull coconut oil from the pantry, I’ll be reminded to embrace the heat of life as a place of softening. God’s place of teaching and equipping me. A place where He demonstrates His great love!
What about you? What has the LORD used to soften you? What was the blessing?
Kim,
How right you are! “His love and faithfulness are not situational”. In fact, nothing about Him is because He is responsive without ever changing. He is love and a He is faithful, and we can count on Him being both no matter what life brings (or even how much we mess up). He’s always there, and always causing things to work for our good; pressing us back toward Him and all the good He has for us. May we always be willing! Thank you for sharing this. Our LORD’s love and faithfulness are not situational.
What an awesome way to look at challenges….. just a little heat to help transform us into who He wants us to be. God has used circumstances in my life: relocation, separation, job changes, aging family members, etc to help me learn to love more selflessly and to trust Him more. The blessing in all is learning that His love and faithfulness are not situational!