Smashed to Sweetness

Nº 204

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - June 28, 2022

We want to avoid suffering, death, sin, ashes. But we live in a world crushed and broken and torn, a world God Himself visited to redeem. We receive his poured-out life, and being allowed the high privilege of suffering with Him, may then pour ourselves out for others. - Elisabeth Elliot

We selected several baskets of plump, red strawberries at our local farmers’ market. Driving home, the temptation was too great so we tasted a few. They were delicious!

After testing a few more for quality control purposes, I smashed them into mush! Those gorgeous, scrumptious, berries were reduced to a goopy pulp. Then Cay went to work and before long, a sweet aroma filled the house. By dinner time, our counter was lined with jars of luscious strawberry jam!

I can only imagine the berry’s pain and trauma as I mashed them time and time again. I’m sure they did not enjoy the process, but that was the only way to refine them into something sweeter and better.

Peter uses a similar picture as he introduces the theme of suffering. “These (sufferings) have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (I Peter 1:7)

The fires of testing will come, but God does not waste our pain. The refining process is never fun. Look beyond today’s suffering to the sweet results He is perfecting.

Dan Bolin President Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc