The Blessing of Sifting

I am not a baker. I like to cook. Give me a recipe and I can give you a similar meal. I like to tweak things and measure with my heart instead of measuring with a cup. I cringe at potlucks when someone asks for the recipe of the dish I made. I have actually told people I can send you what I started with but I have no clue what the actual recipe is. My husband likes to bake. He finds it relaxing. I think one of the reasons is if you follow the steps you will get a consistent and good product. I don’t have patience for some of the steps. Especially if the recipe calls for sifting.  I have done sifting when baking with my grandmothers. It just feels so tedious. The sifting, though, leads to a much better consistency and product. 

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31‭-‬32 KJV

---

 I find it unique that Luke is the only one who records this statement by Jesus. It really adds a different perspective to what Jesus tells Peter next. Jesus lets Peter know that before the night is finished he would deny Jesus three times. Most of the time when I have heard this verse spoken about people focus on the “ Peter, Satan wants to crush you” part. Isn’t that just like human nature though. We have a tendency to focus on what we think is the negative part. 

I am fascinated by Jesus using the analogy of sifting wheat.  I thought I knew what the term meant but I did some research just to be sure.  Careertrend.com says the first step is threshing. It is in the process of loosening the chaff from the part of the grain that is edible.  The way this used to be done was to spread the wheat on a hard floor and beat it.  
​
The next step is winnowing. Now that the chaff has been loosened it needs to be removed from the grain. This would have been done by throwing the grain in the air. If there was any breeze the chaff which was lighter than the grain would blow away and the grain would be left.

I think Jesus was saying, “Peter, I am letting you know Satan would like to crush you. But this crushing is going to be like sifting wheat. I have prayed that your faith would bring you through. When you have been transformed through the process, use what you have been given to bring strength to your brothers.” I think later Peter understood what Jesus meant. 

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 1:6‭-‬7 KJV

Satan may have wanted to crush Peter, but Jesus was using that crushing to start a process in Peter. He may have reached his lowest point when he denied Jesus, but that was just loosening the chaff from him. Just a few verses before this the disciples were wanting to know who would be greatest in the kingdom Jesus was preparing. They knew changes were coming but had no comprehension of what would truly transpire. This kind of chaff could not be used in what Jesus was doing. He needed Peter for more than wheat; he needed him to be grain.

---

In John chapter 21, Jesus appears to His disciples after his resurrection. They are sitting on the beach eating fish. Jesus starts questioning Peter. “Do you love me more than these?” Peter replied, “You know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs.” Jesus went through this process two more times. It grieved Peter, but I think it was part of the threshing process. Next was the winnowing. 

​1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. - Acts 2:1-4 KJV

I love that when God does something He does it big and without any doubt. He didn’t use just a little breeze, but a rushing mighty wind. All the fears, doubts and insecurities Peter had were blown away. What was left was something God could use to feed his lambs and sheep. When those around them questioned what was happening Peter was able to stand up and feed His lambs.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; - Acts 2:14-16 KJV 

He was no longer the wheat, but was the grain. He preached the first sermon of the church. Giving them the message of salvation, not from an earthly dictator, but from the condemnation of sin. He fed the lambs.  In Acts 8 Peter feeds the sheep again when he goes to the Samaritans and then again in Acts 10 he goes to the Gentiles.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. - Romans 8:28 KJV

I am sure when Peter was going through all he went through during the crucifixion and resurrection, the word good never entered his mind. I am sure when he was sitting on the beach being questioned by Jesus, he didn’t think “This is good.” But as he was baptizing people on the day of Pentecost I am sure the word good was in his mind. When he was laying hands on Samaritans and they were receiving the Holy Ghost, he probably thought “This is good.” As he stood before Cornelius’s family and watched them receive the Holy Ghost while he preached, he knew it was good. 
​
I don’t know about you but I have been through some things that didn’t feel good. Sometimes it felt like crushing. Sometimes it felt like I was losing pieces of myself. Sometimes it felt like I was being thrown for a loop. I was going through a process. 

Are you going through something that doesn’t feel good? Do you feel crushed? Do you feel like you are losing pieces of yourself? Remember you are going through a process and what is at the end is good.  You will have a day when you have come through the process and think “Now this  is good.” The blessing in the sifting is that it isn’t good just for you but it is good for the lambs and sheep you will feed as well.

---