Indian chai is my drink of choice.  In fact, I just had a cup of it, and it was delightful.

The blend of cardamom and ginger mixed in with tea leaves evolves into a taste and aroma that is unmatched, in my opinion. Take a sip and the calm slowly creeps into an otherwise chaotic day.

I have realized over time that there are several ways to concoct chai, using any variety of natural spices.  However, unless you are using a simple tea bag, you need a strainer.  Without that filter, your cup of tea is just a grainy, lumpy, liquid mess.

I have been in a season at work that has been challenging.  At dinner this week, I vented to my husband, and ever- so- gently he said, “You may be too emotional right now…Be careful…”  He was reminding me to remain calm and stay reasonable.

This morning, I woke up an hour before my alarm was set.  My mind mulled over what was going on at work. I looked up into the dark and asked God how He wanted me to handle things. I felt that I was at a crossroad.

He reminded me that despite the changes we were going through, I needed to treat my colleagues with love, that “love is kind…it is not proud, not rude, not easily angered…” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-5).

How often I have heard those words…yet how difficult to live out.

I went to work today, and it was easier, because I was determined to be grateful, kind, and patient despite the circumstances.  I went there knowing God was well aware of what I was going through, and He was developing His character in me.

Have you heard that quote that states that whatever happens to us as believers is filtered through the loving hands of our Heavenly Father.  What a visual!

God is sovereign.  He knows our pain and sees our tears, and He allows it to transform us into the loving, kind, and patient child that He desires us to be. He is refining us, sharpening us, and molding us through our circumstances.

So, the next time you pull out your strainer to create a savory, aromatic, perfectly light brown cup of tea, let it remind you of God’s sovereignty over your life. He is making you into the beautiful woman He intends you to be.

~Betsy