Turning Lemons into Lemonade – Christian Perspective Episode 175
The idea of positive thinking, such as turning lemons into lemonade has been around a long time. In this way, taking something that is otherwise sour and making it more palatable and sweet is plus. So, how can you apply this concept to your life as a Christian? Stay-tuned as we discuss this topic today!
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Turning lemons into lemonade? It can happen.
Are you as tired as I am about the news and negativity all around us? I know that we are in the midst of a struggle, good against evil that is nothing new and has been going on since the beginning of time. However, I have found an increasing amount of my friends are dwelling on the negative. We talk about how we are going to avoid social media, video links we are sent, and all of the other links we are given to read about how our world is falling apart around us. But the enticement is too much and we have to know! We tend to look at things negatively and keep thinking, this is just so unfair. So, it translates into us being upset and we struggle. Now add to that the normal daily struggles of life and what happens? We find ourselves stuck in this vortex of lies, deceit, and serious problems even among our leaders of faith. Interestingly, I was watching a favorite Catholic network on television, and one of the speakers graduated from Harvard years ago, and he said the emphasis in learning back then was holding to an ideal of truth. However, today truth is considered subjective. Even Pilate asked the Lord what is truth?
This philosophy that truth is subjective and the truth is whatever you think it is is emphasized and pervasive in today’s culture especially in the university settings. What you believe is not what I believe or better yet you should believe what I believe. But there is no absolute truth. And that’s the problem–the problem is we look at things with this idea that there no one way. But, what did Jesus tell us? He is the way the truth and the life and he said in verse 37 everyone who believes in truth believes in me. So what do we believe?
When life hands us lemons what do we do with them? Well, usually there are three things.
- We complain because that’s the first line of defense
- We try to look for alternatives or solutions of how to resolve the issue
- We make lemonade out of these lemons we are handed.
I realized the way I look at life is really how I am living my life. Am I showing my faith and my love of God to myself, my family, and others? Do I believe what He says and trust in Him? Am I living a life that is pleasing to the Almighty? Or am I leading a life that is filled with stress anger and self-righteous annoyance at how unfair life is?
Have you ever heard anyone say everything bad happens to me? Well, it’s almost like it’s a self for filling prophecy. Rebuke that thought in the Name of Jesus if you have it! And, how about turning it around and saying everything good happens to me? Because as Christians the Lord does not allow anything in our lives that he has not given permission to. This is a very difficult concept to grasp. Because how can an all-loving God allow things to happen that are negative in our lives?
And that my dear friends is a question I cannot answer because it is only the Almighty who has that answer. And that’s when we go to our knees and we pray, we ask for relief, we asked friends to pray. And, we begin to look –baby steps, at life as an opportunity to bless not only those in our own family but others as well. There are many of you listening to this that are self-sacrificing every single day for the betterment of others. Please don’t think it goes unnoticed by the Almighty. Realize that in your everyday struggles the Lord knows and understands and provides for you in many ways that you do not even see.
A friend of mine who is an amazing Christian man and follower of Christ has posted many of his trials on social media – not so much for pity, but to show us that no one escapes the difficulties in life. His family is struggling not only with medical trials within members of the family but also in the home in which they live. So they are psychological, physical, and mental challenges. And it reminds all of us of Job. However, through his postings, he has shown that while everything seems to be falling apart, he knows in his heart that the Lord loves him and it is through this witness that others will be saved. And when everything is going right it is easy to get praise God, but how about when everything is not going well? Look at your lives today, this week, this month, and this year, and let’s all turn those lemons in our life into lemonade.
Let’s pray. Almighty God and Father, we praise you and we thank you for everything in our lives we thank you for all the blessings you have given us and we thank you for all the times that we struggle. Please help us and give us the knowledge that we need in the midst of the struggles to continue to follow you, to follow in your footsteps, and ask that you carry us for when we are weak you are strong my God~and I know that You will provide for each one of us and we praise You and we thank You, Lord and we lift up the following prayers and petitions to you…and we humbly pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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