God Asked Me To Give Up Coffee

If you know me at all, then you know at least one thing about me: I LOVE COFFEE!  I was a casual coffee drinker until about 5 years ago.  My brother had recently switched to black coffee and my mom had been drinking it that way since before I was born.  They both swore that you couldn’t truly enjoy coffee until you learned to drink it black.  Key word here: LEARNED.  Black coffee is an acquired taste, but once acquired it will become one of your favorite things too.

Lady & Sons(above), in Savannah, GA, speaks my language when it comes to coffee cup size.

 

Street Cafe in Paris (above), not so much.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved Paris, but they didn’t sell “a cup of coffee” (the cup I’m holding is two inches tall).  I had to order an espresso in the largest cup they had and ask them to put hot water in it (which I know made my waiter cringe).  I actually asked if he could bring it in a bowl.  If you don’t know to what I was referring, see below (from Gilmore Girls):

LORELAI: Oh, excuse me, I’m sorry.
WAITRESS: Yes, Sweetie?
LORELAI: What are the tiny cups for?
WAITRESS: They’re coffee cups, they’re for coffee.
LORELAI: What, are you running out or something?
WAITRESS: I’m sorry?
LORELAI: Never mind. Listen, we are very sleepy this morning, so would you happen to have something in a larger size, say a mug, a tureen, a small bowl of some kind?
WAITRESS: A coffee bowl?
LORELAI: Yes, a coffee bowl.
RORY: Bring two, please.
WAITRESS: We don’t have coffee bowls, I’m sorry.
LORELAI: Okay, well, then would you mind bringing. . .what do you think – two, three?
RORY: Three’s good.
LORELAI: Yeah, three of these cute little cuppy things? Oh, and could you leave the pot in the meantime?

(I got the quotes from the blog Nutritious Is Delicious.  Thank you!)

I was in Paris on a layover.  We were on the ground for 13 hours.  We had 13 hours in Paris!  Yes, I needed coffee that morning, and that afternoon and that night… and I digress.

Back to the point of my post.  I love coffee. 

Two weeks ago, I felt the Lord telling me to give up coffee in order to reach a certain outcome in a situation I had been praying about.  I felt that day I was only to drink water and from then on I was to avoid coffee until my prayer was answered.  I lasted one day.  The next morning I got up early, and I had a TERRIBLE morning.   I was in a really bad mood, and I just don’t get into REALLY bad moods very often.  So, around 1:00 PM I convinced myself that God only meant for me to fast coffee the previous day and that I was just trying to be an over achiever.  I broke out the coffee and had me a cup.  I was instantly better.  Everyday for a week I got up, convinced myself that I only needed to give up coffee that one day, made myself pot after pot of coffee and enjoyed the heck out of it.  

Then, last Monday, on my way to Bartlesville (for work), I was listening to K-Love on the radio.  I was singing the songs, but I knew there was a wall between me and God.  (It seems like I’ve been experiencing a lot of walls lately.)  Anyway, coffee cup in hand, thermos in the seat beside me, I said,

“God, what is the deal?  I totally feel like there is a wall between us.  What do I need to do?” 

He immediately replied (see bottom of my post for more understanding about hearing God) “I told you last week, I want you to give up coffee until you see this result.  It’s the only way you will pray for it consistently.” 

I sighed deeply. 

He continued, “You certainly don’t have to do this, but I’m giving you the opportunity to be a part of this miracle.  Do you want to be part of It?” 

I replied (this was all silent, by-the-way), “Yes, I do want to be a part of it.  Please help me to follow through.” 

I set down my coffee cup, and I haven’t touched it since.    

However, I did come VERY close this past week.  After just a few hours of sleep and knowing that I was going to have to perform ALL day, I came very close to caving.  But, I knew deep inside of me, that God was not done and that I needed to trust Him with my strength that day.  Here is how close I came:

 

It was brewed and sitting on my counter.  I ended up making a cup of hot tea and then placing the tea bag into the coffee cup as if to say, this is trash to me.  I finished getting ready and before changing out of my PJs I got on my knees, raised my hands in the air and said (in a whisper), “I NEED YOU!  I need strength and energy from You because I can’t do this alone.”  I was only on my knees for about 5 seconds, but God answered me.

I had not only an amazing day, but an amazing week.  I showed exponential improvement in my job performance and I impressed everyone who saw me in action.  I even had two passengers compliment my performance to my supervisor when I wasn’t around.  THIS WAS NOT ME.  THIS WAS GOD.  I have sacrificed for the life of someone else, and HE IS BLESSING ME!  ON MY WAY TO SEE A PRAYER FOR SOMEONE ELSE ANSWERED HE IS BLESSING ME.  How cool is God?  I hope that you will ask Him to develop in you a way to feel when there is a wall between you and Him so that you will know when you need to start listening.  (This is my second post about a wall between us.  You can read about the other here (#4).)

So, as for me, as for now, I’M A HOT TEA DRINKER.  There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about coffee, but I decide to think about something else and I say a prayer for the reason I’m fasting in the first place.  This is why we fast.  You put prayer in place of something you love, and God works miracles for your sacrifice.  And you think, “If this is sacrifice, because it is, then what did Jesus endure?  And you thank God for that while you’re at it.  I recommend asking God if there is something you could give up for His sake.  It can be a once a week fast, or a one time fast, or a more “no end in sight” fast, like mine.  Don’t be afraid to let God move in your life.

* This part is for those who are unsure about how to “hear” God.  First, you need to know Him.  You can see how to know Him here.  Then, you just need to listen.  The first time I ever “heard” (I use quotations because it wasn’t audible, but He was definitely speaking) God I was 13, and HE WAS LOUD AND CLEAR.  He told me that I was on the fence and that I either needed to choose Him or the world.  The part that pushed me over the edge was when I heard Him say, “I don’t care which side of the fence you choose, I only care that you choose.”  God is real.  God does not sugar coat.  If you know God and your gut is telling you to do something that you don’t want to do, but that will have a good outcome, then God is probably talking.  If your gut tells you to get out of your comfort zone and your head argues, then God is probably talking.  Start listening.  It will change your life. 

Also, God speaks your language, that is why He often time is referred to as a “gut feeling” because what he says is said exactly as you would say it.  Start listening, and He’ll start teaching you when He’s talking.

Please pray for me as I continue to listen and wait for God to work this miracle before my eyes.  (Just so that people in my life don’t get paranoid, this isn’t about anyone that I know very well.  I am praying and watching from a distance.  Only I will know that God  has allowed me to be a part of whatever unfolds.)