The Grind!

You’ve probably heard it said, “Life is such a grind!”  Or maybe, after having gone through a difficult situation you’ve said, “I’ve just been through the grinder.”  Or some say about their daily life, “I’m just grinding it out!”  However it is said, the picture of grinding is always a negative one. It represents difficulty, tedious routine, and even pain.  The grind is never pictured as something positive.  It is never used to express something good. 

And, it’s true that sometimes life can seem like such a grind as we go through our daily routines often just trying to survive, trying to somehow keep our heads above water.  At times life puts us through the grinder as we face sickness, the death of our loved ones, the loss of jobs, the breaking of relationships, and personal failure.  No one likes the grind or going through the grinder. I know I don’t.  I’m sure you don’t.

But, this morning as I was grinding the coffee beans I had brought back on my last trip to Nicaragua, I wasn’t considering the grind in such a terrible way. The grinding of those coffee beans was going to result in the wonderful aroma of coffee making its way through our home—an aroma that even Kim who doesn’t drink coffee loves! And, shortly afterwards, that first sip of coffee would result in my first pleasure of the day!  (How I love that first sip of morning coffee!) The grinding of those beans early in the morning is not fun—it’s a bit of work—but as I was grinding those beans I was looking forward to that which was to come: my morning cup of coffee! Yes, the grind was about to bring about something good, wonderful, and pleasurable.

The Apostle James wrote, ^“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  (James 1:2-4 – NIV)  James tells us that, the grinding that we go through in life may not be that terrible after all for, the grinding results in the growth of our faith, the ability to persevere through hard times, maturity and wholeness.  We become all that God intends us to be by going through the grind! 

So, today I want to encourage you to place your life into the hands of God, believing that that he is able to take “all things,” even the grind of your life, and work them for your good (Romans 8:28).  I want to encourage you to believe that, in the end the grinding you may sometimes feel, can result in something of great beauty if you will give your lives over to the Lord. 

“He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 – NIV) He often uses the grind to do so. 

Have a great day! And, go drink another cup of coffee!

Pastor Tim Harris