Lighthouse Community Church

According to proverbial wisdom, when life throws you lemons, the best solution is to make lemonade. Cute. Quaint. Somewhat true. But as all most worldly wisdom, not completely true. What exactly does it mean to make lemonade with life’s lemons? Is it as simple as having a positive outlook, believing the best about a situation, or keeping your chin up? Thankfully, God’s perspective on making lemonade with life’s lemons is a far more glorious reality than any of these trite solutions. Instead, God reminds us that in the most sour of circumstances, he himself is concocting a mixture bursting with providence and grace.

In yesterday’s sermon from Philippians 1:12-18, the apostle Paul himself was dealt a seemingly full bag of lemons. Imprisoned for his ministry, constantly chained to Roman guards, restricted under house arrest, Paul was in the midst of very sour circumstances. But what great hope there was in his assertion that “what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Because of his imprisonment, Paul had been given opportunity to share the Gospel with his captors, which in turn would have had impact on the whole of the Praetorian guard. The Gospel continued to spread outside of Paul’s prison walls because his imprisonment emboldened evangelists to share the Good News of Christ. This, for Paul, was the great hope of his struggles; the proclamation of the gospel. Despite Paul’s hardships, God was marvelously orchestrating great gospel activity. How amazing is our God to use such difficult trials to save sinners!

Life may have recently dealt you lemons; do you see them as God’s recipe for opportunities for ministry? No matter what circumstance God has placed you in, he desires for you to be faithful in ministering the Gospel. Who can you tell about Christ this week? How might others be encouraged by your witness? Which of your Christian brothers and sisters could be spurred on to greater faithfulness? Be encouraged by Paul’s example. Make some lemonade.