When Life Throws You Lemons...

Do you ever feel like some people are out to get you? Better yet, do you ever feel like life in general is out to make you feel miserable? Sometimes, when life throws you lemons, you cannot simply "make lemonade;" all you can do is get hit by them and hope no permanent damage surfaces.

Fortunately, those "lemons" are the worst of it. David, from the Bible, was not always in the most optimistic situations. David had a son, and his son was jealous of David's position as king. So, his son tried to kill him. If there are any such lemons that hit hard, it is these type of lemons. How can one rejoice in sufferings like this? Romans 5:3 says, "...We also rejoice in our sufferings, because suffering produces perseverance." The great news is that our troubles, our "lemons," produce growth and shape us into strong men and women. The bad news? One does not normally see the good news while the bad news is current. However, through all the chaos and the pain, we can take refuge in something greater than ourselves.

Psalm 4 is all about David expressing his dependence on God. He begins chapter 4 by admitting that God is his  safe net. Furthermore, the chapter then gives any and all readers something to relate to. "You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him" (Psalm 4:3). Are you considered Godly in the eyes of the Lord? Can you be certain that, as you have faithfully served the Lord, He will protect you and set you apart from the wicked and chaos?

As the storms come and you feel there is a small chance you will get out alive, know that God has already got you covered. Your level of safety far outweighs whatever you go through in this life. If you depend on God as if your life depends on it, the safety you feel will eliminate the fear you hold. Take heart, for "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe" (Psalm 4:8).

Resting in Peace

Little kids often complain about the small things. When they do, a well-known phrase often concludes the moment: "Life is not fair." Befuddled, the complaining child stops and mumbles something the parent usually cannot hear. For young children, the big issues in life are small compared to the big issues an adult has to face daily. When the adult complains and someone replies, "Life is not fair," the adult is usually smart enough to respond with something like, "How does that help my situation?" or "Yes, and it does not make any sense." Whatever the situation is for the adult, the truth is, "Life is not fair," is never the cure to a hopeless life. "Life is not fair" only appears to only say, "I told you so."

So, what is the cure? How can we stay afloat during the major storms in life, when everything around you seems to make you want to give up and no longer try? 

It appears there is a reason to take delight in the situation around you.

Read Psalm 3. Do not just read it, but visualize it. Visualize God standing in front of your situation. He is there, not carrying a shield; he is the shield. He takes on the fiercest storm and the biggest problem in life.

To understand the situation, let's think about why this was written. David wrote this little piece when he was king. However, a dilemma had come up while David was in command; it was his son Absalom. Absalom, having a strong desire to be king, wanted to dethrone his father. So, he attacked David, and naturally, David fled.

Without a doubt, David was in trouble. He needed help. His own son attacked him and claimed to be king, and David was in hiding. Out of desperation, he cried out to the One who knew his situation more than anyone else:

"O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me."

-Psalm 3:1 (NLT)

David is desperate. His enemies are great, and he needs someone who is stronger than his situation. As he cries out to God, he realizes who it is that can save him:

"But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high."

-Psalm 3:3 (NLT)

The Lord, defender of the weak, and he is here to hold your head high. David, attacked by his own son, discovered who could keep his head up even in the worst situations. 

It is important to know how David fought through the situation; he reminded himself of where his victory lies. "Victory comes from you, O Lord," David writes in verse 8. David's recognition of who is in control is what gives him a boost.

Whatever situation you are in, remember who is bigger and is more capable of defending you. In Confessions, St. Augustine writes about his current situation and points out that it is "our blessing to know that God is in control." We need to be aware of who is our defender. When David realized that his safety net was the Lord, he responded, "I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side" (v. 6). 

Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church and author of Just Walk Across the Room and others, reassures, "Does your problem seem bigger than life, bigger than God himself? It isn't. God is infinitely bigger than any problem you had or will have..."

Talk about relieving the pain of feeling like you're on your own! God is so much bigger than anything you have ever faced or will face. Whether your son is attacking you like Absalom attacked his father, or you are just graduating from college and staring reality in the face, God is so much bigger and will defend you. Furthermore, Hybels even reminds you of the sin you are committing when you decide to not trust in him as our "shield": "...and every time you call a problem unsolvable, you mock God."

Next time you think your problem is too big, think about who your shield and defender is. Picture God fighting off everything you are too weak to fight off yourself. God has your back, and he will continue keeping you safe. 

What you can do is trust in your defender. You can rely on God through every situation that is too big for you. The more you accept God's sovereign power to save you, the more you will find yourself living in safety.

"I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me."

-Psalm 3:5 (NLT)

Your burden can be His. Give it to him and live in safety.

Sowing the Seed

Trees take time to grow. You need to cultivate, prepare, and set the tree up for a successful maturation process. However you plant your tree, it takes a process that lasts a long time. Psalm 1, a chapter-long metaphor about trees and spiritual life, speaks about the appearance of a healthy tree.

"...They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season."

-Psalm 1:3 (NLT)

Notice how this tree bears fruit each season. It is continuously cultivated and given care so that it may bear fruit each season. If this tree is to bear fruit each season, it needs to be cared for every year.

Secondly, notice where the trees are planted. The placement of the trees are crucial in order for growth to occur.  If placed by a riverbank, trees will grow because the stream produces fertile ground. If placed in a desert, surely there will be no growth because the placement is not right.

As Christians, we need to continuously push ourselves toward spiritual excellence. Every season of our lives needs to be cultivated, prepared, and set up for success. In order to be successful as servants of the Lord, we need to prepare ourselves daily. Furthermore, our placement in the world is contingent on how we train

ourselves up as godly men and women. If we place ourselves around wicked behavior, we will prevent positive growth from the spiritual standpoint.

The good news is that, when you place yourself in the midst of spiritual encouragement and continue cultivating your "tree," incredible results show:

"Their leaves will never whither, and they prosper in all they do."

-Psalm 1:3 (NLT)

Like a farmer planting his seeds in the right place, he reward is healthy growth and development. His plantation prospers and there is clear evidence of his hard work. There is actually a story of a farmer sowing seed. It is found in the Gospel of Mark:

 "...As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

-Mark 4:3-8 (NIV)

Notice where the farmer places the seeds. In the end, where he produces the seeds determines whether there is growth or there is not. Some seeds were choked, while others were thrown on good soil. The end result for the latter? They "came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times." When the farmer placed the seeds in the right spot, good things resulted. When you place yourself in good spots, good things will sprout from your life. You prepare and set up yourself for a lifestyle that honors and pleases God. It will "never whither" and will "prosper" in every way.

Do you put yourself around positive role models and good spiritual influences? Furthermore, are you preparing yourself to live the lifestyle you are called to? Like a tree, spiritual growth takes work, preparation, and the right location to develop. Are you doing what needs to be done to create it?