SQUEEZED FOR SWEET AROMA

“…not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope:" Romans 5:3, 4 (KJV) 

On the day of my first book release, my daughter ran through the front door with her hands behind her back. The smirk on her face alone gave her little secret away. She quickly expressed that I should close my eyes as it was a surprise.  I had seen the petals peeking at me from behind her, so I already knew what she had. I humored her and closed my eyes tightly.  She ran closer and said, 'fresh roses for you my dear mother,  congratulations on your new book and becoming an author' , she made her command to smell them and then ran to her room with one stalk.

I looked at the bouquet and thought of how, in a few days, the petals would be all dried up. On the flip side, there is another process where these same petals are dried to make potpourri or crushed to make perfumes. At this time, after going through the rigorous process, the fragrance of the same rose becomes stronger. In this case, the rose did not die but lived on as the sweet aroma awakened our sense of smell and reminded us of the beautiful picture of what what the rose was.

When we face trials and problems, we sometimes feel as though we have been crushed, squeezed, or dried, but this is to produce a new character in us.

James 1:2-4 (NIV) reminds us to, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." No one enjoys potpourri unless it is dried, and no one enjoys perfumes unless the flower is crushed. The crushing or drying process is a lone, private thing. When we are crushed or dried, we can see and show God to be faithful, strong, and glorify Him and point others toward Him. We can also spread the fragrance around.  As perfumes get stronger when the plant is crushed, we get our strength when we are squeezed. Others are blessed, lives are changed, and enhanced by the things that have crushed or squeezed us and are encouraged that their ‘crushing’s’ will, too, give off their own fragrance to others.  Be encouraged that God is always with us while our fragrance is made stronger.  Jesus who is the Lily of the valley and the Rose of Sharon was crushed and squeezed on Calvary's cross so that we can see the beauty in Him and you and I can enjoy His sweet smelling fragrance every day.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Dear Jesus, thank you for your unconditional love inasmuch that you were willing to be squeezed so your sweet aroma would fill our lives, and the blood that oozed from your body would cleanse us from our sins. Empower us as we go through our crushing, squeezing, and drying moments so we will be someone else's fragrance.  We say thanks,  in Jesus ' name,  Amen.

REFLECTION: 

What area of your life are you being squeezed in now? What promise can you hold onto during this moment? How can you be someone else's sweet aroma?