There is a saying that goes: “when life gives you lemons, make sure you make a lemonade.” This refers to of course the bitter taste of the lemons, and how you can turn that around and turn that situation into something positive. We as believers need to learn to do this, to turn the tables on the enemy because what he means for evil, God will eventually turn it around for good. The apostle Paul said: But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:10-13
Paul was a man who lived solely on the gospel and by the gospel, everything was secondary to him, his first priority was living for the kingdom. He learned to be content in life despite his hardships because Jesus was his contentment. How many of us can say today that we live for the kingdom? Furthermore, let’s look at Matthew 6:31-34
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
We are children of modern times, we have learned to live an express lifestyle, we know little of patience and we demand that God move at our own pace rather than waiting on Him for the provision or promise. But even in these times we have to learn to seek the kingdom first. The temptation for all of us is of course to seek our own way, and our own way isn’t necessarily the way of the kingdom. But God has a plan, God sometimes permits for us to go through the storm while He sleeps comfortably in the boat(with us). These storms of life come to strip away the things that act as a safety net for us. Suddenly the things that used to work for us before are not good for us in this new season, and we find ourselves without being able to have things under control, this is where most of us crack under the pressure. The results can be devastating: sicknesses, fears, worries, stress, emotional breakdowns, the pressure is on! As they say.
But we also have heard this:
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:25-27
You may have been familiar with this verses, and you may not have taken this into consideration, that is until the shaking begins to happen to you. Things begin to fall away as the shaking occurs, your safety nets, your places of escape, your comfort zones. God is using this shaking to re-direct you and bring you into a place of complete trust. The worst thing we can do in this time is scramble to find other sources of rest and comfort, gravitating to the flesh in these circumstances does not help at all. The Father is waiting for us with open arms, the secret place is open to us, the vail has been torn. And yet, running to God is the last thing we do, we consider other sources first before turning to the maker of all. As I was preparing this blog a few days ago, I received a phone call with some distressing news, it was early in the afternoon so I had most of the day to ponder on it and make decisions. But I did not bring the matter to the Lord until nightfall, and during my prayer time He reminded me of this as I began to journal. He reminded me of how David ran to the Lord when circumstances were awry, how he considered the Lord to be his main source when dealing with conflicts.
I believe we are coming into a time where the Father is wooing us back into His presence a different way. He is using our tough times as a catalyst for an encounter. The times when we are completely broken will become times of breakthrough for His people if we decide to completely surrender ourselves before Him. We are to forsake the fountains we have dug up for ourselves and turn to the only one who can give us the living water.
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water”.Jeremiah 2:13
And once again Jesus said to the Samaritan woman:
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”John 4:10-14
The cisterns we have dug up out of desperation are broken, they hold no water, they leave us dry and wanting. What places have we dug up for safety? The Lord is waiting for us to give them up in a divine exchange of His presence. The only way to turn things around and turn the tables on the enemy is to run to the true place of safety, the arms of our heavenly Father. He will make a way, where there seems to be none. In His presence we will find true contentment. The Lord is waiting for us even now, He is waiting for us to run to His place where He holds an impartation for us. Will we run to Him? Or will we forsake Him? Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, I recognize that sometimes I forsake you and fail to come into your presence. When bad news abounds, when life takes a turn for the worse, you always encourage me to come to you. I repent for seeking other sources of comfort and not coming to you, the fountain of living water. Please forgive me and help me to forsake the broken cisterns that I have dug up for myself and turn wholeheartedly to you. Help us to be content in you Lord, despite the circumstances we are going through. In Jesus name I pray, amen.