The Aroma of Life

It is easy to read the Bible and imagine believers in scripture were a heartier stock than the modern-day believer, that we share little in common with them because they were vastly more faithful or fruitful.  Christians like Paul were used by the LORD to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, faced fierce persecution from all sides, and he remained steadfast in faith.  We can also look at missionaries, worship leaders, pastors and teachers who seem unfazed by life's problems.  Our fellow Christians who have suffered many major things beyond our experience seem to fare better than we do with our struggles over minor things.

The problem is, this isn't true.  It may be true we do wilt easily under the pressure others have discovered strength in God to overcome through faith, but know human frailty since the fall into sin has been constant.  Even Paul was transparent about struggles most people can identify with, and we might assume such troubles were beneath him.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, ¹³ I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia."  Though Paul preached Christ though Whom we find rest for our souls, it did not follow Paul always experienced it.  He had an open door to preach by the LORD, yet he had no rest in his spirit.  Initially the trip to Macedonia was not pleasant either.

He explained in 2 Corinthians 7:5-6:  "For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus..."  Paul's spirit was not at rest in Troas, and in Macedonia the body had not rest either:  there were troubles, conflicts outside and fear inside.  While Paul was in a downcast and depressed state, Titus brought with him a comforting message from the church in Corinth.  He reported how well they received his corrective and instructive letter and took appropriate action to honour God in the church.  Paul rejoiced to hear this good report.  God placed the apostle Paul in the body of Christ the church, not only to bring forth the truth of God's word, but to receive the consolation by Christ's love and encouragement through His people.

Have you ever lacked rest in your spirit since coming to Christ?  Have you ever faced trouble and conflicts without and fears within?  Have you ever felt lonely or downcast?  If so, you have more in common with Paul than you may have thought.  And if you know Jesus Christ, having been born again, you are connected with the same Saviour who gives rest and comfort for our souls.  2 Corinthians 2:14-16 can be a source of encouragement for all Christians as we praise Him despite pain:  "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. ¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?"  The fragrance of frankincense is released when it is crushed, and when our souls are crushed by difficulties the fragrance of Jesus Christ is dispensed to the world to lead people to salvation by faith in Him.

Paul being downcast and crushed by circumstances can be an encouragement to us who also struggle.  Paul was not sufficient for the troubles common to life and people, and neither are we:  only Jesus Christ is sufficient for these things, and He is infinitely so.  Paul's attitude and flesh led him to be downcast, yet Jesus always leads us in triumph.  Thanks be to God who comforts the downcast and through us diffuses the aroma of Life leading to life.  The crushing circumstances of life have a way of leading us and others to Jesus.