"In the crushing
In the pressing
You are making
New wine
In the soil, I
Now surrender
You are breaking
New ground"
-New Wine by Hillsong
Anything that has to do with growth or creation seems to have to do with difficulty and even death.
The seed cannot stay intact to produce a plant, it must break. I often marvel at the ability of a tiny seedling breaking its head through the rough dirt. Growth means breaking.
In order for something metal to be forged it but be hammered away, it must be melted and then hammered again. For the purest metal to be shown the dross must be melted away as well and this can only happen at extremely high temperatures.
For a potter to make the perfect bowl he must kneed and kneed and pound and shape the clay and finally he must bake it in an oven.
And finally for wine to be made the grapes but be crushed and pressed over and over again.
I think we tend to shy away from the uncomfortable and difficulties of life. Our flesh is strong when we continue to feed it what it wants, which is comfort. I have often been tempted to throw in the towel at missions work. I don't need to be a beautiful silver spoon or a pretty clay bowl or even a mighty oak, it is too much difficulty and yuck...growth.
What if I just got an awesome job? Then we could support ourselves.
These thoughts have run through my mind. But then I look back on the path God has lead me and I think of the 17 year old in the jungle hearing the voice of her Creator calling to give her life 100% to Him on the mission field and I think, "Okay it is worth one more wack of the hammer to create something beautiful."
If you stop growing you are dead. Plants do not continue to bear fruit if they are dead and we are the same. Sometimes it is overwhelming the weight one carries when they minister to those around them, the weight of hundreds of sad hearts burdened with the difficulties of life. Sometimes it is overwhelming the weight of God calling us out farther into the waters where the waves are higher. The amount of money needed, the words needed, the time needed, the wisdom needed it is all in that pressing. And the new wine that pours out is the result. The results are what last for eternity. The result is faith. When we spend eternity with Jesus the results of our struggle will be what brings God the most glory.
