Do you find yourself in a situation that makes it hard to enjoy the process and trust God's timing for your life?

In a generation like ours, we are daily bombarded with quick recipes and shortcuts to success so it's easy to believe the gospel is the same way.

But if there's one thing I've learned and I'm still learning, there's no magical formula to living life.

If we aren't ready to build our minds to understand the place of consistency and process, we will falter.

And this will spill into every other aspect of our lives.

I learned the beauty of process and timing when trying to follow a Banana Bread recipe on Youtube.

I had all my ingredients and was eager to follow the recipe to the letter.

But along the way, I missed a few ingredients.

I used one egg instead of two and got the cup measurements for my flour and sugar wrong.

I decided to improvise and use what I had.

Because I felt half loaf is better than no loaf.

So I got creative and mixed it all together, hoping to achieve the same results as shown on Youtube.

When I was done, I did not like the result.

It felt sticky and poorly done.

Although it looked good on the outside, I only had to cut it open to see it was half-baked.

I tried eating it because I’d gone through a lot to bake it but I ended up throwing it away when I couldn’t bear the taste and feel in my mouth.

I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other. So because you are lukewarm-neither hot no cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth.

Revelations 3:15

Just like my Banana bread incident, if we don’t allow God to take us through process, trust his timing and leading, we would end up being lukewarm and poorly done.

To enjoy the process, keep in mind God’s will has a way

In the past, when something dropped into my Spirit from God, I would just run with it. And this made me fall into mistakes a lot.

Till I learned and I am still learning that God’s will has a way and a time.

Check: If God is the one bringing an idea to you, then you will have to wait for His when, His how and the direction.

Waiting is a process that could take weeks or months or years. It may not be easy or convenient to wait, but it will come.

For the vision is for an appointed time. Though it tarry, wait for it. It will surely come if it’s God.

And if your process is good, your end result will be glorious.

God wanted Noah to build an Ark. It was a process.

Noah didn’t run with the vision aimlessly, but waited for the instructions needed to build.

His building was dependent on the when, the how and the way.

God sealed it by shutting Noah and his family in by himself.

Same with Moses and the tabernacle.

God gave specific instructions for the way he wanted it. And Moses had to follow it to the letter.

Because that in itself is a process and all the ingredients are important for a well formed result.

Jesus was ready to start preaching when he was twelve years old. But God the Father knew it wasn’t time yet.

It took Jesus another 18 years to keep being obedient to his earthly parents.

He even learned Carpentry work in the process.

Some of us wouldn’t gladly/humbly do that when there’s a big vision in our minds.

But Jesus went through process.

And he was nicely done at 30 before being driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, began his ministry and ended at the cross.

Process moulds us

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,

Malachi 3:3

Process cleanses us from filthy hearts and unfiltered conversations. This refining process makes us able to offer acceptable sacrifices unto God.

It also gives us wisdom on how to handle situations that may present themselves.

Have you ever been shocked at the way some Christians spew toxic words on social media, throw shades at each other and say all sorts of nonsense pertaining to the body of Christ and poisoning people to stop going to church?

You don’t need to look far. Many of these people did not go through process or they missed a necessary ingredient in their baking/formation process.

So when you 'cut them open' spiritually, you’ll see that they’re poorly done and weren’t thoroughly cooked under God’s fire.

Church is a necessary ingredient in our growth. The assembly of saints is essential. God will NEVER tell a Saint not to go to church.

Even Jesus loves the weakest church and He would first care for the church. And He's coming back for her, not the world!

Our Pastors contribute to the Process

Pastors are important and they help us to make sense of the process and how it is necessary for our growth.

God has called them and placed them to lead the church by counseling us, praying for us and helping us in our Christian walk.

And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, TO EQUIP the saints for works of ministry, TO BUILD up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.…

Ephesians 4:11-13

Perhaps you don't have a pastor. You can start praying to God to lead you and direct you accordingly.

I can’t imagine my process without my pastors. They are responsible for about 50 percent of my growth and I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.

Although there are fake pastors around because wherever there’s an original, there would always be a fake.

But don’t let this deter you.

Perhaps your pastor hurt you or ill-treated you or he’s preaching contrary to God’s word.

Pray about it, wait on it and if you’re getting the leading to go somewhere else, then you can leave.

Don’t forsake the assembly of your brethren. Church is a place for sick souls. So you’ll find all manner of people there.

Don’t expect to go there and find perfect Christlike people inside.

Different souls are at different stages of their growth. Besides you’re not perfect yourself. So you need to bear with the other Saints.

It’s part of the process too.

I baked another Banana bread weeks later. And I loooooved the result.

It was so moist and delicious. It turned out well baked. I knew I’d done well this time because I got the right ingredients in place.

I enjoyed eating it.

This is how God will enjoy you when you yield to His will, stay in the process and trust His timing.

You’d come out looking lovely, well refined and Christlike, glorious enough for God to enjoy and fit enough for His service.

Bloom with Love. Xx

Photo Credit: Craig Dennis