So, I once read a quote that was against the popular saying which goes; “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. The saying poses pretty solid advice as it pushes one to make the best out of every situation and gives the strength to carry on. The quote against our cliché says, “When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Ask questions; where did the lemons come from and why were they even free? Be suspicious of the lemons.” The quote certainly had every intention of being humorous but it carries a message within.
Here’s the thing; lemons don’t just come randomly. There must be some reason why they come at all, and we ought to question what that reason is before simply accepting them as our burden to bear. Hence the need to be suspicious of the lemons. I mean, must we simply welcome every little thing that comes to us, no matter how puzzling and disturbing it might be? Be suspicious of the lemons. I, like every other person, have had my fair share of lemons and made lemonade out of some, while letting others rot.
And that is why I am choosing a new approach and inviting everyone to consider it. In life, we are bound to go through many struggles, trials and hardships, indeed some worse than others. And we all come to a point where we wonder why this had to go that way, why that had to happen like that and why it seems like it’s only us dealing with that kind of stuff. That is being suspicious of the lemons. Are we wrong to ask such questions or to wonder why certain things happen the way they do? Certainly not. But the question is, to whom do we raise these so-called suspicions when the lemons come running in our direction?
Who could understand our deepest sorrows and lend a listening ear that is not in the least judgmental? No better answer comes to mind than Jesus. Honestly, where else could we possibly run to except to Him who made all things? We are His creation, and we must trust that He is ultimately in control of all things. There is always bound to be a reason why God allows certain things to happen in our lives. Whether for correction, growth or as a test of faith, there will always be a reason for those lemons. In short, “When life gives you lemons, before making that lemonade, ponder why they came and then see whether making lemonade is the best solution or if divine providence has other plans for those lemons.”
