Habits and Pot Roasts

After a recent visit to Idaho, a friend of mine introduced me to Nancy, a godly woman who has been in ministry for over 30 years. We instantly began talking, and within minutes she was pouring her knowledge and wisdom into me of all that she had learned over the last several years. She said one of the most important things we do in our ministry, is to pause and ask “what does God tell me to do in this exact moment?” This seems simple-something we should always do, but for some reason this stood out to me as if God highlighted the words and told me to tuck them away.  

As a seasoned believer, it is extremely easy to get into habits and formalities, rather than tuning into the voice of God. I remember hearing a story in a Sunday service about this exact problem of habits. 

The Pot Roast Story

A young woman was hosting a dinner party for her friends and served a delicious pot roast.  One of her friends enjoyed it so much that she asked for the recipe, and the young woman wrote it down for her.

Upon looking over the recipe, her friend inquired, “Why do you cut both ends off the roast before it is prepared and put in the pan?” The young woman replied, “I don’t know. I cut the ends off because I learned this recipe from my mom and that was the way she had always done it.”

The next day, the young woman called her mom to ask her: “Mom, when we make the pot roast, why do we cut off the ends before we set it in the pan?” Her mom quickly replied, “That is how your grandma always did it and I learned the recipe from her.”

Now the young woman was really curious, so she called her elderly grandma and asked her the same question: “Grandma, I often make the pot roast recipe that I learned from mom and she learned from you. Why do you cut the ends off the roast before you prepare it?”

The grandmother thought for a while, since it had been years since she made the roast herself, and then replied, “I cut them off because the roast was always bigger than the pan I had back then. I had to cut the ends off to make it fit.”

Ha! I love this story, for how often are we doing things because that is what we have seen? Maybe it is something we were taught years ago but doesn’t even line up with the Bible. Or, it can be something that is good and right to do, but we forget the why behind it? As we pray for people, asking God to heal, deliver and free them, our prayer, way, and approach can become habitual. But what Nancy reminded me that day in the park, was to open my eyes and pause as we tune in to a very present God. A God who has a plan and purpose for that moment which is far more important than our own agenda or way. When we do things in ministry out of these customs, we sometimes think the “way” we do it brings power, but forget that the true miracle and victory is the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and it is His alone. 

As we read scripture, we see that Jesus did not always perform miracles the same way. In the book of Mark we read of a deaf and mute man who was healed. “Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to Heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!” At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak plainly.” (Mark 7:32-35). Can you imagine spiting on someone’s tongue?! We would be considered crazy to do such a thing in our culture, but Jesus wasn’t about culture and habits, He was about His Fathers business. Now, Im not suggesting we start spitting on people (unless promoted, ha!), but what I am encouraging is to be like Jesus, tuning into His way, His voice, and His leading before we lay another hand on the sick and pray. He might lead us to do something that looks different, but that is okay, because if He is the one leading, then He is the one that will bring the miracle.  

Let us pause……Look toward Heaven and trust that God will lead and guide us in our journey with Him. Before all else, ask Him, “God, what do you want?” He will answer as we trust His guiding through the Holy Spirit and stand upon the truth of His Word. 

More Scriptures about the Miracle Healings of Jesus!

• Jesus held a woman’s hand, and she was healed (Mark 1:29-31).
• To a paralyzed man, He forgave His sins and commanded that He get up, pick up his mat, and walk.  (Mark 2:1-12).  
• To a man with a withered hand, Jesus told Him to stretch it out in front of everyone, and He was healed. (Mark 3:1-6). 
• Jesus spit in a mans eyes and placed His hands over them, and He could see. (Mark 8:22-26)
• Jesus stretch out His hand and touched the leper saying, “I am willing,” and the man was healed. (Mark 1:40-45)

This is just a few, but have fun reading more stories of God’s miraculous healings and miracles in His word!