Broken and Blooming

The other morning, when I took the dogs out, I noticed a sweet smell coming from somewhere close by.  Our avocado tree was blooming profusely.  It really surprised me, as last year, there was nothing.  The previous year's crop of avocados was so large, that it literally broke our tree.  It was so heavily laden with avocados that the branches could not hold up under the strain of them, and many branches were either broken or dead.  That was months and months ago.  Finally, it is beginning to bloom again.

Isn't that like us, at times?  We become so heavily laden with the burdens of life that our souls become broken from the strain...and at times, they seem to die.  To look at us, our lives are a mess.  Brokenness and barren limbs everywhere...no signs of life to the naked eye.

But God is always at work.  He is living deep inside, waiting for us to hand our heavy burdens to Him.  Jesus is always there to renew us and refresh our withering souls with the Living Water of His Holy Spirit.

Do we carry reminders?  Yes, we do.  But through the deep remnants of our battle scars, there is a sweet smelling bloom of new life beginning to form.  A lovely fragrance that rises up to the heavens  as incense to our LORD, glorifying Him and thanking Him for His ever present faithfulness.

Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”