While flying from Atlanta to Cincinnati, I watched an episode of a food show hosted by actor Stanley Tucci. In the show, Tucci travels across Italy and explores the varying styles of food in each region. I watched the episode focused on Sicily.
 
Tucci went duck hunting, fishing, and visited a vineyard. While walking through the vineyard, his host said something very interesting. The man said “In order for the best wine, there needs to be some stress on the vine.” As he popped the cork a bottle for them to sample, the host explained that the acqua alta in 2019 had stressed the vines, which produced the grapes they were enjoying in the moment.
 
A meaningful reflection of Jesus happens when we let the stress of life produce within us good fruit.
 
An acqua alta is an exceptional tide peak that occurs periodically in the northern Adriatic Sea. Unable to run from it, the vines endured the flooding and produced a better fruit as the result of the stressful situation. We know from scripture that God uses tough situations to stretch us and refine us. It’s often in the stressful times that we surrender control and in that surrendered state, God molds us like clay in the hands of the potter.
 
Isn’t it interesting that we spend most of our time trying to avoid stressful situations, but it is often the stressful situations that help us be more like Jesus? Apostle Paul encouraged us to step into the stress of suffering because it produces endurance, which leads to character, and this Godly character is the source of our hope in God (Romans 5:3-5).  
 
In the stressful situations, we are refined, and sanctified. The refining process is not comfortable, but it is valuable. We are better followers of Jesus when we endure stressful situations and come out the other side with our faith intact.
 
Knowing full well that God uses stressful situations to teach us, mold us, and refine us, I’m not going to wish you calm seas this week. Instead, I am going to pray that you endure the periodic high tides with your eyes and trust squarely situated upon God.
 
Keep Reflecting Jesus!