Several summers ago, I was gardening wildflowers. It was therapeutic — weeding and watering the cosmos, blanket flowers, cornflowers, and other delicate beauties that graced the yard. They brought me more happiness than I could articulate. (This is probably largely due to the fact that I’m not a gardener-type at all, and plants that survive me are a mini miracle.)
When mid-August ushered in the beginning of the end of the growing season, I grew so depressed that I refused to work in the garden anymore. (A super mature response, of course.) At the time, it felt like that tiny piece of heaven-sent goodness was coming to a screeching halt, and I just couldn’t bear to watch it all end.
Then I stumbled upon the art of flower hammering.
Flower hammering literally involves hammering a flower, often between two pieces of paper. When pounded or hammered, the flowers leave an imprint. It’s so easy a kid can do it . . . but it’s so complex and satisfying that adults write books about the art.
It’s a great stress reliever if you want to make art and use a hammer. But, for the flower, it is a painful kind of art. After you hammer a flower, its petals are reduced to slop and have to be scraped off and chucked, thrown away. So why would any kind and loving person pick exquisite blooms and obliterate the life out of them?
Because the pounding of the flower preserves the beauty of it long past its lifetime. The beauty of the flowers in my garden withstood time, long after the blooms withered away.
With restored happiness, I experimented for hours. I even made dozens of cards with these hammered flowers to give as gifts, hoping to share some of the beauty.
I discovered certain flowers worked better than others. Some flowers left great color but then faded; others left true color. Some stages of certain flowers’ lifespans worked better than others, but this all depended on the flower. Each kind of flower required a different amount of pressure. This was the trickiest part because over-smashing sometimes just left a blotch, while not enough pressure sometimes didn’t leave an imprint at all.
As I hammered the flowers, I didn’t feel bad for squashing them, as their growing season was nearly over anyway. Instead, I was looking forward to beholding the beauty that their imprints would preserve for years.
Then, it hit me like I was in the front seat of an object lesson.
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
Our Savior, Jesus — fully man and fully God — was hammered to a cross. Like my pounded flowers, He was reduced to a slop. He suffered for our sake; He withheld nothing. He gave up His life, securing for us the most beautifully infinite and intimate connection with our Heavenly Father.
But that was only part of the object lesson . . .
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you.”
1 Peter 1:23-25
The thing is, we are like those flowers. Though our lives are fleeting, Jesus gives us the privilege of leaving a legacy through Him.
We can look to Jesus when life hammers us — when we’re battle-weary from all the pressures . . . when we wonder if we’re really making the kind of difference we hoped we’d make.
God knows what kind of “flower” He made each of us and what degree of pressure is needed to leave the imprint He desires on our lives. And, because our heavenly Father has decided to conform us to the image of His Son, we can trust He knows exactly how much pressure is needed for this process. No more, no less.
Sister, our pain is more than transient torture. With every yielded hope and surrendered expectation; with every thought taken captive and made obedient to Christ; with every fear entrusted to Him and every tear-filled care cast upon Him . . . we are leaving a legacy. Though pounded and hammered, we are leaving an imprint that points to the image of Christ.
Take heart, for you are dearly loved and your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Your life, however hope-filled or hammered, will leave a mark of beauty that will long outlast your earthly visit.
Rachel Marie Kang says
These words are beautiful and powerful — thanks for sharing them with us, Pearl!
Pearl says
Rachel, thank you for your kind words. May you be given the strength to endure whatever pressures you may be facing today.
Madeline says
WOW! I don’t know what else to say other than this was amazing.
Pearl says
Madeline, your words are a heart hug.
Ruth Mills says
Amen, amen, amen!!!
Pearl says
Ruth, thank you for being here.
Gail says
Beautiful! Thank you for this encouragement.
Pearl Allard says
Thank you, Gail. May Christ’s presence be felt in a comforting way in your life today!
Coralyn Froese says
Wow what timing. I’m in a coffee shop trying to force the tears not to flow while I’m in public (but who cares)
This is so enlightening. I was journaling and commented that my soul feels beaten and then the notification hit my phone.
Thank God for his timing and his goodness.
Pearl Allard says
Sweet Corie! May our Heavenly Father’s presence be felt so strongly in your life today and bring comfort amidst all the beatings. Praising God with you for His timing and goodness. Hugs!
Bekah Dorris says
As usual, timely. Love you, friend.
Pearl Allard says
Love you too, Bekah! So grateful God gives us what we need when we need it. May He uphold you through whatever pressures you are facing today.
Johanna Froese says
What a beautifully hopeful way to perceive the “poundings” of our lives. And to remember that God applies just the right amount of pressure so that the imprint left is truly a work of the master artist Himself. Glory to God!
Pearl Allard says
Your life has been an example to me of the kind of beauty our Heavenly Father can create through the poundings of life. May He continue to sustain you as you leave the marks of beauty He has planned for you to make! Yes! All glory to God!
Louise says
Thank you, Pearl.
I always love reading your messages and they almost always come at the right exact moment they are needed.
Pearl Allard says
Louise, I’m so thankful to be part of God’s encouragement to you! Your life is creating beauty for Him. Hugs!
Whitney Tinker says
I may or may not be crying in public as I read this. I have certainly been feeling “hammered” lately and this is the perspective I needed to hear to get through it. Thank you!
Pearl Allard says
Whitney! No doubt your life is creating beauty for Him. Praising God that I could be part of His encouragement to you. May He uphold you through all the hammerings and make His presence known in a comforting way. Hugs!
Hulda says
Thank you, Pearl, for pointing us to Jesus. I can relate to the hammering and pounding and being completely undone by it all. And in those moments it’s hard to see any beauty at all.
But the joy comes in the awareness that Jesus is with us in that mess. And He holds us close to His heart.
It’s hard for me to believe that my life will leave any imprint of beauty but I do see the beauty God is creating through the ashes of my life.
Your message gives me hope.
Pearl Allard says
Hulda, I agree. Well said. We need each other, don’t we? And we definitely need Jesus. I have zero doubts that Jesus is making beauty from all the hardships you’ve suffered. May our God of all hope continue to sustain you.
Polly says
Pearl I really enjoy reading your words of wisdom. Your wonderful insite into our Lords nature’s and how each small thing can be a lesson to be learned. I am so blessed to have you as a friend❤️
Pearl Allard says
Polly, thank you for the heart hug! That blessing is a two-way street!
Beth Williams says
Pearl,
Such great wisdom. God can & will use our pain. These momentary trials we face produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character & character produces hope. The scars we have show the beauty of trusting in God. Just like Jesus was pounded onto the wooden cross to give us an intimate & infinite connection with God, our lives are pounded by trials, labor yet produce a legacy that can light the path for others.
Blessings 🙂
Pearl Allard says
Beth, it’s comforting to know that what we go through won’t be wasted, isn’t it? Thank you for your presence here!
Karen Stowers says
The Lord has blessed you with eyes to create beautiful word pictures which penetrate godly truths to our female hearts, Pearl ! Sometimes we need that hammering to receive the blessings God has for us. Keep using your many talents the Lord’s given you .
Pearl Allard says
Karen, thank you for the encouragement! May you be sustained if you are in the midst of a hammering season. And may you enjoy the rest from the hammering if you are not. Hugs!