We have all heard it said, “If life gives you lemons make lemonade.” It sounds really good right? Sure, let’s just make lemonade. How hard is that? The problem is that when life gets extremely difficult and we have prayed and cried out to the Lord with everything in us. Yet, it feels as though our prayers are hitting the ceiling, this statement brings no comfort or peace at all. When we have prayed to the point that we have no words and our tears are the only prayers we have left, we need a word from God not a pat little statement or a cute one-liner. When we feel like God is not responding to our desperate cries for help, it can be very discouraging, even heartbreaking. Making lemonade out of life’s lemons is not the answer we’re looking for nor is it the one that we need. This cultural quote passed down for generations is not in any way derived from scripture. It is not biblically based. It sounds cute and fun but it does not help us in our time of need. We need the only answer to any problem and that is Jesus! Jesus is our hope, Jesus is our strength and all that we need is in Him.
Jesus is and always will be the answer that we need in any and all circumstances.
On November 16, 2021, my Daddy was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of stomach cancer that had already progressed to stage 4. Our family was in shock and devastated by this news. Although, Daddy was in his mid-eighties, he was extremely healthy and active. He was not your average 85 year old by any means. He had run an after-school program right up until the pandemic hit in March of 2020. He exercised every day. He had been an athlete all of his life, playing multiple sports through his college years and later coaching them, as well. He was in great shape and went to the doctor regularly. He took great care of himself. How could he possibly have cancer? How could it already be stage 4? We were in disbelief.
My initial response was shock, then anger and of course sadness. I wanted to scream. I cried a lot but I prayed even more. I prayed fervently without ceasing. I prayed that Daddy would be fully healed and no longer in pain, no longer suffering, healthy and strong again.
During the time of my dad’s illness, our family rallied around him. We took turns driving him to all of his appointments. We were so honored to do so. He had taken care of all of us all of our lives. My dad was the most generous man I have ever known. He gave selflessly and sacrificially to so many, not just family but to people who were in need. He gave of his time, his talent and his treasure without an agenda. He truly was a reflection of Jesus. He gave without expecting anything in return. It was our turn to try to do something for him in his time of need and we were happy to do it.
Our prayers were not answered in the way that we would have chosen. They were answered in God’s perfect will. Daddy told us that the Lord was calling him home. A week later, he went home to be with the Lord on July 18, 2022 in his own bed, surrounded by family just as he had desired.
He is now fully healed and whole. He is without pain and no longer suffering just as I had prayed. He is more alive than ever all because He committed his life to Jesus! His faith is now sight. Thank you, Lord!
This is the hope we have in Christ, that we spend eternity with Him. We will miss our loved ones who have left this earthly home. Yet, we are comforted to know that we will see them again. Oh, what a wonderful reunion it will be!
This is not a lemons into lemonade put-your-hope-in-what-you-can-do type of deal. This is the hope of eternity that only comes through faith in Jesus Christ our Savior!
(Hebrews 6:17-20 NIV) Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
