The Lemon Test

 

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. 

 

 

What is a problem a setback…

Well it’s an opportunity… ever hear someone say “you see a problem and I see an opportunity”. It sounds so righteous and confident and even brash… You know the “I’m an overcomer and I turn lemons into lemonade”. 

But what if a problem, pain, setback, dilemma, obstacle, headache, doubt… call it what you will (maybe just call it life) what if its not seen as an opportunity to overcome, but rather as a test to prove your commitment to Christ. 

 

What if you never achieve a positive outcome from that bad in your life? What if it becomes your thorn in your side like the apostle Paul. 

You never do get out of debt.

You never do get healthy.

You never do have your own company.

You never do gain a healthy relationship with that person.

You might see it as a failure… you might second guess and blame your sin or your inconsistencies as to why you don’t have your breakthrough….

OR you can simply see it as a test that you will pass. A test that allows you to say to God - I will serve you no matter what! In the Good, the bad, the ugly and the unknown - I will love you and serve you.

NOW you might wince at that and think… gee Garth is that all you got. It seems a little naive - but look at the opposite. If everything is going well for you than your commitment to God and love for him is pretty disingenuous. You prove your love and commitment not in the luxury of life, but in the fire of life. 

When a young couple gets married they are typically in the throes of infatuation… Everything is good, they are young and healthy, full of hopes and dreams… Yes they love each other in the sense that they have strong emotions for one another… but love is an action and actions are proven in times of fire, hardship, pain, discomfort, monotony and even sin. 

Micah 7:8 the prophet says Do not gloat over my enemy, tho I have fallen I will get back up. 

Lets put legs on this verse…

Do not let my problems take over my mind and beat me up and tell me my problems are bigger than my desire to serve God. Because even tho I have problems, I will continue to serve him regardless… I will always get back up! 

Micah is choosing to revel in his problems… for in those moments in his life he gets to prove his love for God.

I once had a conversation with a man who’s wife had an affair with another man. Now this was a good husband, a Godly man but his wife had lots of baggage and abuse from her childhood and much of that led to her having an affair. When I asked him why he didn’t leave her he said “well that was my opportunity to prove to her that I truly do love her in good times and bad times… the greater the test the greater the proof of my love for her”. And guess what- it made their marriage stronger than ever. She expected him to leave, she expected him to move on, he had a biblical right to do so… but when he stayed she was convinced that he must truly love her.

When you have a problem that might seem to never end, then it might just be a never ending opportunity to prove how much you love God.