My favorite rose is Double Delight. The aroma is like no other. It is the only rose I plant in my garden. I can’t have too many.
“God, Why am I so Angry?”
Sometimes God gives us double delights with sweet gifts of loving reminders of His presence. He meets us where we are even when where we are is in the dumps. This is where I was several years ago when I was having one of those mornings: tired, stressed, in a bad mood, and ultimately angry about nothing and about everything. The morning kept getting worse. Finally, I thought I have to get out of my office and get some fresh air.
I walked, well, sort of stormed out of my office and said out loud, “God, why am I so angry?” Just then, an enormous butterfly, like none I had ever seen, landed on the purple garlic plant just outside the door. It startled me. Yet it felt like a kiss, a butterfly kiss from my heavenly Father. I stopped, smiled, and laughed at myself for getting into such a negative state of mind. I was very conscious that this was a delightful gift of God to remind me of His presence in my life. I went back to work, calm and at peace.
The following week I attended a writer’s conference where I met with a young woman taking appointments with attendees to help them with their social media presence. She asked me what I was doing with social media. I explained I had a blog called Personal Parables where I write about spiritual applications from daily life events. I started to share one of my blogs when I suddenly switched to the butterfly story, which I hadn’t shared with anyone. I barely got the word butterfly out of my mouth when she stopped me. “What color was the butterfly?” she asked. I replied, “It was yellow. I felt it was God’s gift to me as a reminder of his presence.” Her eyes immediately filled with tears. Startled by her reaction, I asked her what was wrong? She was barely able to speak.
She said her husband was ill, and she almost canceled her commitment to be at the conference. She had asked God for a sign and not any sign but the sign of a yellow butterfly. Now I was crying right along with her. We stopped discussing social media, which was now not important at all and prayed. This was God’s double delight gift. I thought the butterfly was just for me, but God had a greater purpose. The true gift was for my new friend, who needed reassurance of God’s presence as she went through a deep trial.
Sharing God’s Presence
It is easy to think God’s unique reminders of His presence are just for us. They never are. He wants us to share them, to multiply the blessing. Often, we don’t have the joy of knowing where the story of our blessings and God’s gifts land, but every once in a while, God gives us firsthand experience. We experience a double delight of His presence in our lives and in the life of another.
What double delight has God put in your life lately?
How can you be a delightful aroma of Jesus in another’s life?
Blessings,
Personal Parables is the blog of Dyann Shepard. Get Dyann’s complementary study in Proverbs and prayer guide, What to Do When You Don’t Feel Good Enough. If you need encouragement to remember the truth about yourself in times of doubt and anxiety, this free 5-day study is for you. Follow Dyann and Personal Parables on Instagram and Facebook. Dyann is available for speaking, guest blogging, and article writing.
Scripture for Meditation
Meditate on God’s word and what He offers each of us. Scripture was collected to accompany my new post, God’s Double Delight.
Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 16:11 – You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 73:28 – But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.
Exodus 33:14 – And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Genesis 28:16 – Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”
Music for Reflection
Sometimes God offers a double delight, as noted in my new post, God’s Double Delight. Here are two songs for you to reflect on after reading the post.
