As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.

~Ephesians 2:1 NIV

As I readied for the day, a terrible smell drifted through the bathroom. What’s that odor? I know it … wait. I had smelled that skunky smell before.

The Smell of Skunky

We opened the door and called for the dog. The smell hit us like a ton of bricks. My youngest opened the door wider to check on the noise, and the dog, covered in skunkiness, ran into the house. He jumped into my husband’s recliner and rolled his scent all over the fabric. Not only did the outside air circulate into the house, but now the recliner was saturated too.

Over several days, we used special remedies to wash the dog, clean the recliner, and “deskunkify” the house. My son even washed himself in the anti-stink mixture just to be sure he didn’t have any funk left on him. He even threw away the clothes he wore while giving the dog a bath because of the stench.

Each day after the skunk incident, the hint of skunkiness still lingered. No amount of scent killer or air freshener helped. There was nothing strong enough to eliminate the smell.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

~Titus 3:4-5 NIV

The Smell of Forgiveness

The skunky smell is like our sin. The stench is overwhelming. No matter how hard we work to make things right, we can never rid ourselves of sin’s stench. Good works, kindness, serving, and being better than the next person aren’t enough. Believing in God isn’t enough—even the demons believe.

Only Jesus can forgive and set us free from the prison of torment and sin in which we live. And only when we confess and repent will we ever know we are ready to accept His forgiveness offered on the cross. He’s the only way to “deskunkify” our life of sin. Period.

Are you tired of feeling empty? Burdened? Disqualified? Like the skunkiness just won’t leave? Jesus is the only answer.

Dear Jesus, please set me free from my sin. I surrender to you. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2026: Christy Bass Adams: Skunky: All Rights Reserved.