Like I wrote about yesterday, we went camping this weekend and ate s’mores around the fire. Delicious, sticky, chocolaty s’mores. We really try to eat healthy most days, but when in Rome am I right?

There are many strategies to crafting the perfect s’more. Some just stick the marshmallow right into the fire to watch it combust and get crispy and dark immediately. Others, let the flames barley kiss the soft white skin of the marshmallow until it becomes a nice golden brown color. My strategy is more along the lines of the first option.

I love pulling my marshmallow out of the fire carrying some of the flames with it. The crispy texture and smoky flavor it provides for the s’more is ideal for me. Plus there is a fun element of playing with fire in this s’more making strategy.

While I was roasting my marshmallow this weekend, I couldn’t help but think that my strategy is sometimes similar to what the Lord does in our lives. Letting us sit in the flames in order to come out better for the whole of His plan but maybe a little charred. The burning, the refining all for the purpose of something greater.

It makes me think of Jacob when he wrestled with God in Genesis 32. He was worried about His brother wanting revenge for stealing the blessing. When he had reached his limit of sneaky deceiving, and hit rock bottom, he was alone. Scripture says “a man wrestled with [Jacob]” (Genesis 32:24). This man was Jesus. While wrestling, Jesus struck Jacob’s hip and dislocated it. After He changed Jacob’s name and blessed him, Jacob still walked with a limp.

Just like a marshmallow getting burned by the flames and changing color, Jacob walked away with from his encounter with God with a burn, his limp. He was changed. He also walked away with a new name. God changed his name from Jacob, which means deceiver, to Israel which means God rules.

We could probably say most of Jacob’s life up until that moment had been “in the flames” of some sort. He was living up to the meaning of his name. He had reached the peak of his shame when he found himself wrestling with God. And what happened? God blessed him. God changed his shameful name. God’s greater purpose for Jacob’s life prevailed.

But he continued walking with a limp. Sometimes we have a limp after our struggle. Paul even admitted that he had “a thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians12:7). We can walk out of struggles with scars or burns or limps, but by the grace of God, we walk out of those hardships. God does not create trouble in our life, sin does that. God allows the trouble to transform us.

When the flames rise up and burn us, remember God’s promises. His blessing. His goodness still wins out. Even if we are left with some burns, His plan is sweeter than the perfect s’more.