Mushroom Popcorn
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)
Mushroom popcorn? Never heard of it! But you can rest assured that I am going to go to the grocery store and get some. I enjoy trying new things—especially when I’ve learned about the process as well. We have all felt pressured to the point of exploding like a little kernel of popcorn. Karen Sargent (Mornings with Jesus) introduces us to something new and reminds us of the Living Water inside of us.
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Have you discovered the little miracle called mushroom popcorn? Shaped like a mushroom top, its regular popcorn, only bigger and better. My husband recently purchased a bag, and it forever changed our TV snacking experience. How could only one tiny kernel produce such a huge puff? I had to find out.
Apparently, inside the protective hull of the corn kernel is a small amount of water. When heated, the water turns to steam, causing the inside to soften and expand. The pressure breaks the hull and reveals fluffy popped goodness waiting to be buttered. While the result is delightful, the process, for the kernel, is not.
I’ve felt the heat many times in my life. You too? A scary diagnosis, a financial crisis, a struggling relationship, or a career failure. With pressure on all sides, I attempt to control things beyond my ability until I feel like I will pop.
But just like that little kernel of corn has water inside it, I have Living Water inside of me (John 7:37-39). Jesus is with me through the heat of every trial, softening and expanding my heart. I lean into Him as I face another doctor appointment. When the bills keep coming, I watch Him provide. The fires I endured have changed me. Stronger and firmer in Jesus, my faith becomes bigger and better, just like mushroom popcorn.
FAITH STEP: Treat yourself to some mushroom popcorn and think about your faith. If it’s like a hard kernel at the bottom of the bowl that didn’t have enough water inside to pop, claim Jesus’s promise to restore you and make you strong.