the sweet aroma of brokenness

i had the wonderful opportunity to be at a celebration for a friend who is going through the true dark night of the soul... walking through the valley of the shadow of death. as i listened to him and his wife share with all of us who were there to pray, bless, and encourage them, i found my soul so encouraged by the beauty of God shown through their brokenness. i would like to call it the sweet aroma of brokenness.

i was so encouraged that all it really comes down to in life is if we believed God - that is faith. my friend encouraged us that we don't know if we really believe what God has spoken to us to be true until it is tested in us by the hard times when it isn't so comfortable to believe. it is when we could possibly appear foolish to other people for believing the things that God has put in our hearts that are still unseen (hebrews 11) to be true that we learn what it really is to walk in faith and be pleasing to God. when it is all said and done, it isn't about if we were right or wrong in what we believe God to say as much as that we chose to believe.

i realized that so many times i am tempted to take an opinion poll on whether or not what i believe God to be speaking to me really seems to be true or if i sound like i am just being silly... i am so tempted to only believe when i have the affirmation of men that i am making a wise choice. but what about when my belief in the goodness of God and the truth of His promises looks to foolishness to those around me? what about the times when what is seen doesn't seem to be in sync with what He has spoken to me to hope for? what about the times of life when i am experiencing the dark night of the soul and walking through the valley of the shadow of death? well... if i can choose to believe God regardless of the appearance of my circumstances, i will be pleasing in His sight and i will smell like the sweet aroma of brokenness.

faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen.
hebrews 11:1

i choose to believe God simply because He is God. He is always faithful, He is always good, and He is not a man that He should lie (numbers 23:19). i believe because of who He is, not because of what man may think of me or because of what i can see with my natural eyes in the circumstances that may be around me. and just like the woman with the alabaster jar (mark 14, john 12) who smelled just like Jesus when she broke it and the perfume spilled out on His feet, i pour myself out at His feet willingly - it could not help but spill over her - the sweet aroma of brokenness. faith.

and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. hebrews 11:6

how amazing is it that God shines the brightest through broken vessels?! i am encouraged by the ones i went to encouraged - i am challenged by their lives that are full of that sweet aroma of brokenness because they have chosen to pour it all at His feet and believe simply because He is God. they live the lives of faith that the author of hebrews spoke of - and i am forever impacted because of their faith.