Making Lemonade From Lemons

I have a very unique shampoo container. When it is full all you have to do is open the top and squeeze a little and my shampoo comes out. When it is empty I need to turn it over and let gravity take its course. There is a point where just squeezing it won't work anymore. Then I need to change the way I think about getting my shampoo to come out so I can use it to clean my hair and scalp.

In the early years of my calling, everything seemed to go so easy and the threats from the enemy were weak at best. The more I deepened my walk by immersing myself in the Word I found the attacks were stronger from the enemy and what used to be easy became more and more difficult. The great thing about this intensified attack is God's grace and God's power was even more evident. Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. When we begin to live more life we see more of God's wisdom in how to handle things and His grace and power seem to kick in just when we need them. So in this growth period, God turns things upside down sometimes to challenge us to let His grace and power kick in, just like my shampoo bottle. But different from my shampoo bottle which runs out after a while, God just becomes more and more real and evident in the midst of it all.

If we look at all of this through a worldly filter we might miss some of the journey and that journey is where many of the lessons are found. LIFE IS THE JOURNEY! So live it to the fullest! The first part of the above scripture says a lot. "28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good." Good (def) - to be desired or approved of. The Psalmist said it this way. Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. To delight in the Lord is built around a relationship, in fact, a close relationship, and that relationship is deepened through doing life with the Holy Spirit as your guide. Then our heart is lined up with God's heart and we see life differently. Instead of a shampoo bottle half full it becomes and shampoo bottle that is half full and still giving shampoo.

In the second part of the Romans 8:28 scripture, Paul says that those who love God are called. For the believer, we live a "called" life, which is a life of purpose and direction focused on God and His purposes. The more God shows us how to live this life we begin to see things differently and our eyesight focuses more on heavenly things. Colossians 3:Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Our thoughts have taken on a different perspective and that perspective is immersed in what God thinks is important. The engine for this change is the grace provided by God through Jesus. If you have some lemons happening in your life, then ask God to make lemonade, because He can take all of the struggles and show you how it all works in His purpose for your life. Praise God!!

The Pilgrimage Continues

David Warren