Fluffy Rice
By Maria Drayton
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
I admit I can’t cook. If it doesn’t come in a box with instructions on the back, then I am dead in the water on onset. Even recipes prove challenging for me to follow. I need recipes to tell me everything (ie: what size pot, covered or uncovered, how big is a speck, how small is a cutlet, etc). The videos at times do help but inevitably my meal never comes out the same as what I see in the picture. The biggest challenge, rice. It should be the easiest thing for me to make but yet it has been the hardest. Either there’s too much water or not enough. I probably should invest in a rice cooker.
During this quarantine time, my lack of skill in the kitchen has proved to be enlightening as I need to learn more recipes or at least have them as a reference. When you don’t cook, there’s only so many meals you make and then you simply rotate them. Recently, I ventured out of my comfort zone and decided to try rice… again. I had never made a perfect pot of rice. So, I boiled the water, added the rice and waited. Now here’s where it gets tricky for me; I always want to keep cooking the rice instead of removing it from the heat and letting it steam to perfection. I get antsy. But this time would be different. After 5 minutes, I removed the lid to check it and I heard the Holy Spirit say, “You have to trust the process.” I wanted to continue to check it every five minutes but instead this time I put the lid back on and left it.
Isn’t this how we are in our walk with God also? We want to keep checking to see where we are in the process. But it’s a process! We grow one day at a time, one moment at a time.
And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP
Recently, I found a box of old pictures and I marveled at how much I had changed. Yet, daily when I look in the mirror I cannot see change. This is how it is walking with the Lord. We are being constantly changed into His image and likeness. Sometimes we have to go through hurts and disappointments, but yet even with these things it is working something out in us. We have to trust the process.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV
In the end, when I went back and checked my rice after 20 minutes of leaving it alone, it was FINISHED! I was shocked, it was fluffy and didn’t stick to the bottom like so many other times prior. I had trusted the process and I had perfectly cooked rice for the first time in my life. May you also trust God in your process and may you become fluffy rice!
Heavenly Father, thank You for changing us one day at a time. Although it can be hard, allow us to put our trust in You and ultimately Your process. You know each of us intimately and what it takes to transform us into Your likeness. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that enables each of us to go from one glory to another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
For more encouragement, visit Maria at mariadrayton.com
© 2020 by Maria Drayton. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Monday, 25 May 2020.
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