How to stand back up when life has crushed you.
My son was little at the time, but he had big insights.
We had taken him to a place called flower world on a weekend outing. Flower world is a nursery that is I don’t know how many acres and has thousands of plants. You have to grab a map to get around the place and find what you are looking for. I could easily spend hours in their precious gardens.
That day, my son had his own allowance and was excited to buy something all by himself. He carefully picked a tulip from the shelf and placed it onto our cart. Then, he paid for it with his own money and brought it home to plant it in our front yard.
He was so proud of his new flower and took very good care of it!
Until one day, the cousins were over to play, and a game of kickball ensued. 
Someone kicked the ball right into my son’s Tulip, flattening it. He ran over and stood gazing at his prized flower, crushed and trampled on the ground.
I saw his bottom lip tremble, and the sadness in his eyes as he looked upon his prized beauty. He tried not to show how upset he was to his cousins, but it was obvious to me.
God Helps us Stand Back Up
The next day, he got ready for school, and we walked out the front door together. As soon as he saw his flower, he exclaimed, “Mom, Mom! My flower! It stood back up!”
Overnight, his prized flower, which had been crushed and flattened the day before, now stood proudly upright again.
After a few moments of thought, as we made our way to school, he said, “Mom, it’s just like what God does for us. When we are crushed, God helps us to stand back up.”
Truly it is out of the mouth of babes.
I agreed with him one hundred percent. When we are crushed, it is God who truly helps us stand back up. For us, standing back up after we have been crushed by the things of life will probably not happen overnight, but as a process over time. We only need position ourselves for God’s presence to come in, and He will bring life to our broken places.
So how do we position ourselves before God so that He can help us stand back up again?
Seek nourishment:
Flowers need nourishment. When you are broken, your nourishment comes from the hope and comfort that spring forth from God’s word.
You may not be able to read a whole lot all at once, and that’s ok. Open your Bible and read it aloud, letting the living word go down into your spirit to bring life to those places that are wounded.
Even if you don’t read a lot, or feel like you got nothing out of it, remember that when it rains, you don’t usually see the flower drinking the water, but you know it’s doing it; Same with your spirit.
My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.Proverbs 4:20-22 NKJV
Seek God’s presence:
Flowers need light to grow, just as we need the light of God’s presence. Every day, invite Gods presence into your life through prayer and worship. Whether you have five minutes or fifteen, whether you are worshipping while you shower and get ready or have time to spend completely alone with the Lord. It all counts!
Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:2 NKJV
Rest:
This has always been one of the hardest things for me to do, and I am still learning how to fully rest in the Lord. I had such a hard time letting go and trusting God to do His work while ceasing mine. It has been a journey, and I know there is still room to grow.
One thing that always helps me get my eyes back on Jesus and entering His rest is the prayer of surrender.
Father God, I choose to trust you. I choose to believe that you are good. I ask your forgiveness for not resting in you. I surrender this situation fully to you and put it into your hands. It is your burden and not mine. In Jesus name, Amen.
Just like my son’s flower rose again after being crushed, you too, can stand back up after you’ve been broken and flattened by the things of life. As you seek the Lord and open yourself to His work in your heart, He will bring beauty out of your brokenness, and you will rise, with the beautiful fragrance of His presence in your life.
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing 2 Corinthians 2:15 NKJV
In his love,
Carolyn
© Carolyn Rice 2018
