When Life Gives You Lemons

When Life Gives You Lemons

Do you like lemons? I really like lemons in my water. The sour, acidic taste of the lemon when it is squeezed provides is the perfect amount of flavor.  I also like to decorate with lemons. Before it is cut open and squeezed, a bright lemon can bring a touch of color that a dark or drab room might need. 

We are all kind of like lemons. Before we are squeezed, we can smile and laugh. But when a little life seeps in, we are no longer whole but cut open and squeezed. Circumstances squeeze us. Maybe it’s finances, work, marriage, children, or health. And when we are squeezed, what pours out? Are we bitter and angry? Are we short in our responses? How do we act not only with other people, but also when we are alone? What we pour into our bodies body is eventually going to come out. If we constantly eat food that is not good for our bodies, it will begin to show. It is the same thing with our minds. What we constantly pour in is eventually going to come out. The Scripture says in John 15:5,  “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We have to abide in Christ. I looked up the word abide and its synonyms are to comply with, observe, and follow. We cannot follow what we do not know. We have to know His word. I have Scriptures all around my house and I listen to worship music at least every morning. I feel, as I’m sure you do, that I am constantly squeezed. When that happens I want my family and those around me to see Jesus. It doesn’t always happen. Some days I’m just bitter and angry and not very pleasant to be around. In the moments when I’m squeezed I have to ask myself: What am I abiding in? In Christ or in myself? My prayer for you is that you will abide in Him and His word, and that when you are squeezed, others will see Jesus in you.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“ Everything” with Toby Mac 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7RIp_t3gKZw