Life can be very challenging and busy at times. We may often have to deal with things that we’d rather not—like the sickness or death of a loved one. Regardless of what comes our way, remaining mindful that God is ultimately in control is a blessing in itself.

Think on this for a minute—if you will. It’s been said that when life gives you lemons—make lemonade. What this means to me is; when unfavorable things happen to us, make the best of them. Instead of seeing it in a negative light, we are encouraged to have a positive attitude, understanding that sometimes bad things happen to good people.

I have had several lemons thrown at me in my lifetime—too many to count. When things would go south, I was not interested in lemonade, let alone gathering them and making lemonade. Most times I’d be so disappointed or angry that I would plan on retaliating if the opportunity presented itself, especially if I felt I had done nothing worthy of lemons in the first place. I felt as if I was being singled out or that a “higher power” didn’t care too much for me.

However, as I matured in age and in my relationship with the Lord, I realized that this was the furthest thing from the truth. See, when life brings things in our lives that we may not understand or care for, perhaps they are not to harm us, but to help us grow in character and in strength to see the bigger picture. Perhaps it’s to teach us to appreciate the good things that come our way and “Give Thanks”. Truth be told, things could always be much worse.

So, the next time something unfavorable comes into your life, grab you some lemons, squeeze them really good, place their juice in a pitcher, add water and sugar, stir it well, pour you a tall glass of lemonade, and “Give Thanks”. A better day is heading your way!