Proven Proofed

I can only imagine what people think when they see my resume. I went from successful jobs within my field to working behind the counter at Panera not once, not twice, but three times. 

I can’t really discuss my dreams and the pursuit of those dreams without mentioning what I have (not so affectionally) called my “Panera Seasons.” I have decided that we all go through these seasons. It probably won’t look like actually be employed by Panera Bread for you. It might not even involve your job at all. 

Panera seasons are marked by times of intense character growth. God can use our giftings to build accomplish amazing things. However, our character can destroy those things if it has not developed. 

 “I was setting out the blueberry muffins at work and I noticed that they were not a big as the normally are.  They were flat and dense instead of light and fluffy.  I tuned to my manager to ask if we could even serve them.  Her words hit my heart in an unexpected way, “They are under proofed.” Not expecting to have such a spiritual reaction to a conversation about muffins I turned to google.   

“In regard to bread, what is proofing?” I typed. 

 Wikipedia wrecked my heart, “Proofing is a term used by bakers, and is the final rise of bread dough before baking. It refers to a specific rest period within the more generalized process known as fermentation.”

(From my journal) 

Panera seasons are not by accident.  They are a time where we are in this breakdown process. Piece by piece we are challenged to surrender what was holding our old way of life together. This final rest period is incredibly important to the baking process. As it is with our own life. If we go into our destiny under-proofed, we will fall flat and remain dense to what God might be speaking into our life. 

We stay in the proofer by remaining soft to what God is speaking to us. We stay soft by quickly repenting and humbling ourselves. In our lives, the goal of the proofer is not to get out of it…but to learn how to live from it. 

I think it is most likely that the proofing time comes when we have to make choices to protect our time, priorities, and heart. In the Panera Season you must learn to manage your life, your schedule, your finances and protect those things. I have observed that the more public the call on a person’s life, the more they are invited into these seasons. Yet, it is up to us to say yes and allow God to transform our hearts.