This devotional is from the Upper Room June 21, 2012

Written by  Marcelina Dewi Kumalasari (Jakarta, Indonesia)

 

" We can easily praise God when we feel blessed or in good condition.  However, can we still praise God if we face strife?  Can we keep our faith if we do not sense God's help?  These questions reminded me of an illustration.  If carrots, eggs and coffee beans are boiled, the effect on each item will be different.  The carrot will soften, the eggs will harden, and the coffee beans will change the color of the water and spread a delicious aroma.  The boiling water symbolizes problems or the pressures of out life.  The carrots, eggs and coffee beans symbolize different human reactions to problems or pressures.  The soft carrot represents people who grumble, complain and pity themselves when faced with problems. 

The harden eggs represent those who become stubborn, rebellious and angry at God during tribulations.  But the coffee beans represent people who obey and trust God, changing the atmosphere around them while spreading the fragrance of Christ.

 

God offers to each of us faith greater than any problem we face.  The magnitude of the problem is not as important as our reaction to the problem.  Our faith determines how we will respond as we meet the challenges of daily life-- as a carrot, a hard-boiled egg, or a coffee bean." 

Let's be coffee beans with God's help!

 

PS 103:2 Bless the Lord O my soul, and so not forget all his benefits. (NRSV)