The Mashed Potatoes Speaketh

So...no particular scripture verse prompted this post.  (If there's a verse in the Bible about mashed potatoes, I'd really like to hear about it, though! I love 'em!)


I was reminded today of a time that God spoke to me, and I just thought I'd type it up so I'd always have it somewhere and not forget it!  If it's confusing, I apologize.  The Holy Spirit has a way of teaching us more in an instant than we can ever truly express verbally...but I'll try to sum it up.


During a time of prayer in a Discipleship class (far away, and a long, long time ago), I had a sort of "vision".  I say "vision" in quotations because although it was a vision, I couldn't see anything.  I was in total and complete darkness, but I could smell the most delicious mashed potatoes as if they were right in front of my face.  It was...unearthly.  Although I couldn't see anything, I went forward.  After a little while, I could taste mashed potatoes!  It totally freaked me out to be smelling and tasting mashed potatoes in church when I obviously wasn't eating, but I went with it.  After devouring the small bite, I could smell potatoes again, went forward again, and tasted them again.  Each time the potatoes tasted better, and I was tasting them for longer...as if I was walking forward and eating the potato goodness and each time the potato goodness pile grew!


And through that process, God was teaching me two very important lessons.


Lesson 1.
God loves me enough, and knows me well enough, to speak to me through mashed potatoes.  He knew that mashed potatoes, above all other foods, would get my attention.  He cares about me enough to speak to me on my level, no matter what that is.  Sometimes through dreams, sometimes through other people...He always knows the best way to reach me.  Which makes me feel so humbled and honored...that my creator would take the time to know those little details about me.


Lesson 2.
He was teaching me about spiritual hunger...about passion and persistence. 


There have been times in my spiritual journey that I've felt I was in a "dry spell".  Felt less passionate about the things of God, felt that God was distant, or for whatever reason just wasn't as "into it" as I had been before.  God was telling me (and this was true for me at the time, it may not be true for everyone always), that those "dry spells" were just me in between piles of potatoes.  


Sometimes when we have an awesome experience with the Lord, we try to replicate that experience.  Try to worship to the same song that the "event" occurred to, go to the same place, sit in the same seat, pray the same prayer...and God doesn't show up like He did before.  Since we're doing all the same things we had done before, we may start to think God doesn't care, or maybe we've done something wrong to cause  Him to withhold His presence.  And while I do believe God sometimes withholds Himself (He disciplines his kiddos when they need it), I think that more often than not we are just in between potato piles.  


God was teaching me that He doesn't want me to just sit there at the same little pile all the time.  He doesn't want me to eat the potatoes He's given me, and then sit there in the dark with my mouth open like a stinkin' baby bird.  He wants me to press onward.  He wants me to seek Him, and when I've filled up...seek Him some more!  To grow deeper in my relationship with Him, and to be able to handle more as I grow.  When God gives me a little and I'm responsible with it, He can trust me to take care of a little more.  When I have dedication and diligence by pressing forward through the darkness and potato-less times, I show Him that I'm not just in it for me.  I'm not eating the mashed potatoes for the sake of mashed potatoes...or in real terms...I'm not worshiping just to feel God's love, or praying just to receive a blessing or a miracle (or whatever the "potatoes" may represent for you)...I'm showing Him that while I do enjoy all the benefits of being a child of God, my main focus is to draw closer to Him.  That I'm not satisfied with the "potatoes", because I want to come face to face with the one who made them.


Our spiritual journey is so much like this little vision.  God knows what's going on, and we can feel like we're wandering around in the dark sometimes.  Wondering when God's going to show up, and wondering where He's leading us.  Truth is, He's always there.  And we DO know where we're going...we're heading toward Him, toward the open and waiting arms of our Lord, who has absolutely earned our complete faith and trust.  So next time you're not feeling like reading God's word, going to church, or just spending time with Him...don't blame it on a dry spell, and definitely do NOT blame it on God...instead make a conscious decision to press forward.  Trust me, you want to!  The creator of the universe makes the most delicious  mashed potatoes on the planet...and in the heavens too, I'd wager.