On Praise and Smellin' Sweet

Ever have that season in life where you feel down and out, but then you get encouraged and feel better, and then something else comes along and knocks you down? That horrible, repetitious pattern that seems bent on destroying all happiness, all contentment, all confidence, or any feelings of joy you may have. Times when everything BUT your response careens out of your control. Of course we know that God is really allowing things into our lives to train us, use us, make us more like Himself, molding us into the Image of His Son, but sometimes it feels like a little more than you can take. One can know the truth in his head, but sometimes, it's when trouble eclipses the good feelings that we all of a sudden seem blind and think, "Yes, God fought for us THAT time, but will He do it THIS time?" That's where I find myself today.

On days like this I am reminded of many verses, but in particular Hebrews 13:15-16 which says, "By him [Jesus] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Sometimes, praise really does feel like a sacrifice; and sometimes, doing good (particularly having a good or right attitude about something or towards someone) definitely feels like a sacrifice!

But let me share with you something huge the Lord did for us last week. Joel and I had a little run-in with a parked van (C'mon, you've done things like that too!). Naturally, it left a sizable dent in the bumper, and we couldn't believe what had just happened, nor could we stop the dollar signs from flashing in front of our eyes. Ever notice these things happen at the most inconvenient times? Anyway, we left Joel's name and phone number so we could make things right.

The lady called us back later that evening, and she really wasn't happy! Hard to blame her, I get that; but the amount we thought it was going to be made us cast down, to say the least. Actually, devastated would be more accurate. We didn't need that mess, but here it was.

The next morning, I was thinking -or rather, pretty sure God was thinking for me!- that sometimes, God allows these things not only for our growth, but so that we have the opportunity to leave that "Sweet smelling aroma of Christ" that Paul wrote about in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. Perhaps this isn't about us, but about what God wants to do in someone else's life through us! And if He asks us to spend a little money in the process, it's His anyway, and He will provide exactly what we need as He promised.

The following day, Joel gets a phone call from this lady, saying that she has no idea how it happened, but when she went out to her van just then, the dent had completely disappeared! And no, it was not one of those dents that would have worked it's way out, even if it were, it would have done so much sooner than that. So, Joel and I were and continue to be completely in awe of what God has very miraculously done!

This is just one of the many blessings God has graciously bestowed upon us lately, and it is a good reminder to continue to praise Him in all things. No, He may not answer every crazy situation like this; but He does care, and will provide!

Perhaps these uncertain times in our life are about giving praise through our circumstances as a sacrifice, that we may be a sweet aroma of Christ to the lives around us. Truly, God has given us much to be thankful for and we will continue to count our blessings!

....Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention a couple weeks ago when we drove all the way from north of Pontiac to Lansing on a broken break line. On slippery roads. God has worked amazingly, yes? Still amazed at that one, too!

"For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ."
~2 Corinthians 2:15-16