31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

“But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)

Day 29: Lost

While I was away caring for my grandsons Covid caught up with me. Thankfully I wasn’t extremely sick but a few days in and something odd happened. After spraying air freshener I couldn’t detect the scent at all. I tried to convince myself that it was my imagination, but when I opened a new can of stinky dog food and didn’t grimace like I normally did, I knew I’d lost my sense of smell. 

Normally I have a keen sense of smell, noticing whiffs of things others don’t. Many aromas illicit happy memories for me, too. But now, I found myself no longer able to perceive the sweet scent of a freshly bathed little one, the warm, homey essence of spices from French Toast on the griddle, or the fresh fragrance of clean laundry.  The thought that the joy from smelling those things I love being lost, for I didn’t know how long, was disheartening. 

The longer I couldn’t smell, the more bland food began to taste and my appetite for it waned. I could no longer detect good from bad refrigerator smells which had the potential for unpleasant side effects. My world lacked the fullness it once had and oh, how I hoped it would return.

It’s always amazing how God uses unusual things in my life to teach me important lessons. Does He do that for you, too? In the midst of all this Covid drama I was reminded that Christ is referred to as an aroma to be experienced.

I don’t know about you, but when I live life distracted in this unhealthy world, it’s more difficult to detect the fragrant offering of Jesus. The longer I’ve lost my sense of Him, the more my desire to feed on the Word wanes, I have a greater difficulty distinguishing good from bad which has the potential for unpleasant repercussions, and I realize that the joy I’d had breathing in His love is missing. My soul is downcast. 

With time my body healed and I was happily able to smell again. Thank goodness the same can be true for our souls. Immersing ourselves in the pleasing aroma of Christ the crucified offers us healing and a life saturated in love. Even more than that, one full of hope for His return.

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)

Breathe in. Take joy in the presence of His sweet fragrance. Celebrate that what was lost (us) has been restored!