Faith Like Yeast

I love to bake. I typically make bars, cookies and cakes. I make buns too but I'm not fond of baking with yeast. This week, I attempted to make traditional Easter buns and paska bread. Both highly loved and sought after in the area I live. I find my favorite recipe and start my yeast. I wait and wait...and nothing. I feel frustrated. I dump it into a bag ready for the garbage. And restart the yeast mixture...again and again with no luck. Finally one last time, the yeast begins to 'do it's thing'. I throw the bag of yeast attempts into the kitchen garbage and continue to make this well-loved recipe. This time it seems to work... just like the recipe says it should. The dough is soft and easy to work with. As I shape buns onto the pans, I hear a noise coming from underneath the kitchen sink...but as my hands are busy, I didn't assess the noise. As I'm tidying my kitchen after the mixing, I open the garbage door. The yeast in the bag had completely grown beyond the garbage can, poured down the side and onto the floor. It just was quite the experience to see this growth especially when I was frustrated. I felt like I had failed. Three times I tried to attempt this delicious sweet bread. I felt weary. I spent time, supplies and energy waiting for this yeast to grow. I did everything right from water temperature, fresh yeast, not moving the yeast mixture, adding sugar for it to grow to waiting 10 minutes to it to soak. Nothing happened. NOTHING. I was discouraged and walked away. There have been many times I have done this exact thing...poured time and energy into my faith and into helping others and just not feeling growth...in my spiritual walk and when asking God to use me to encourage others in their faith journey. Then I hit a wall. Restart again with another valiant effort and attempt to love and shine God's love on others until I feel like I'm not able to help again...typically due to discouragement because I just don't see change. It's been only later...sometimes weeks, months and several times years later, I have been told by people God placed in my life, that in fact, God used me to open their eyes to see Jesus in a personal way. The yeast grew...I didn't see it...but it was there. God used me to love others to help grow His kingdom...now that's an exciting result. For His glory! It's all about my desire to get to know Him more and to shine His light...letting God do the rest in His timing...and leaning not on my own strength. Blessings as you grow your faith inwardly and to those around you!