Flaky Rolls or Recipe for Disaster?

Mother looked quizzically at the odd shaped lumps she pulled from the oven. What had happened? Beatrice had made the exact same rolls many times without the disastrous results set before them now. The concoction looked more like a science experiment gone awry than an accompaniment to dinner.

“Let’s go through the recipe step-by-step,” Mother calmly stated. “Did you put in flour?”

“Yes,” Beatrice demurely answered.

“What about the salt?”

“Well,” Beatrice hesitated. “I’m not sure.”

Mother arched her brows and looked seriously at her daughter.

“I started to put the salt in, but then a bit got on my cut and it stung,” Beatrice defended. “I thought I would just leave it out this time. Besides,” she continued, “it was only a small amount of salt.”

Mother kindly reminded Beatrice that every little part of the recipe was needed - no matter how insignificant it seemed.

“What about the sugar?” Mother continued.

“Oh, yes!” Beatrice replied enthusiastically. “I was craving something extra sweet so I doubled the sugar!”

“Beatrice! You didn’t!” Mother exclaimed.

Seeing by her daughter’s face that she had indeed tried to increase the bread’s sweetness, and not thinking that was really the cause of the cooking catastrophe, Mother moved down the ingredient list.

“What about the baking powder?” she queried.

“Oh, Mother!” Beatrice cried. “Have you ever tasted that stuff? It was so awful and unsavory, and well - just unappealing that I didn’t put it in either!”

Mother sighed in exasperation.

“Beatrice dear, those things may be bitter and awful and sting. But when thrown in with the others, they create something that is pleasing to the palate. It’s a lot like our life and walk with the LORD. Sometimes we need to face the temporary sting of discipline. Other times, a trial may come our way that we feel is too awful to bear. Or, perhaps an event occurs that is not completely to our likely. But when we trust God and allow the discipline, the trials, and hardships, He will use them to make something pleasing to glorify Him.”