I just have to share this…. I am always amazed when God teaches us spiritual lessons through the daily, common tasks of the day. Well, here’s my lesson today…

I roasted chicken this week, so today I was preparing chicken-rice soup. As I was deboning the refrigerated carcass that had been simmering in my crock pot yesterday, I carefully sifted through small handfuls of chicken to make sure every bone and other unpleasing parts were removed. I wouldn’t want my family to choke on a harmful bone or taste something gross! Then I removed my bowl of broth from the fridge. It had a solid layer of fat that I could easily remove with a big spoon. I turned on the heat and now it’s just time to wait until all those yummy ingredients start simmering again, then I’ll add the rice and veggies in the final minutes. Mmmm, I can’t wait! The delicious aroma will soon fill our home!

I couldn’t help but think that is what God does with us. As I watched my hands gently and thoroughly sift through the chicken removing harmful, unpleasant pieces, the Lord also desires to sift our hearts with His delicate fingers, removing any unclean thing that would cause us harm. And just as we remove the unwanted ‘fat’ from the broth that causes long-term problems in our bodies, He patiently waits for the fat to rise to the surface and then carefully scoops it off, leaving only pure and healthy broth. He then adds heat to bring the mixture to a delightful state, which are the trials and suffering that we experience in this life. But those trials aren’t to harm us. They are to season us and make us a pleasing aroma to Him, the Master Chef, and to all those who can catch a whiff of the heavenly scent created by Him!

It’s also important to remember that this ‘perfecting’ process is not a one-time thing. As I’ve been continuing to check on the soup all day- removing more stuff floating around that I don’t want in there, tasting, seasoning, etc.- I’m reminded, and thankful, that the Lord keeps a continual eye on me and never stops doing His perfecting work in my life!

‘Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.’  -Colossians 3:5-10