When Life Gives You Lemons... Find God's Will - Amy Sapp
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
What’s With All the Lemons?
Picture a lemon...
What do you do when life gives you lemons?
“Make lemonade!” That’s cute… And a great go to saying.. but what if God doesn’t want lemonade? What if He wants lemon meringue pie?
Life isn’t always sweet. Sometimes it’s sour. And confusing.
As teens, you are constantly being asked:
“What’s your plan?”
“Where are you going to college?”
“What do you want to do with your life?”
But the better question is:
What does God want?
What is His will for your life?
1. God’s Will is Not a Mystery—It’s a Relationship
Romans 12:2 says that we can “prove” (discern/discover) God’s will. That means:
It’s not some puzzle you have to solve.
It’s not a map you have to guess your way through.
It’s a relationship with God that unfolds as you follow Him.
Have you ever used the GPS and gotten lost anyway?
God doesn’t give us faulty directions, He walks with us.
God’s will is not about figuring out your whole life, it’s about walking with Him daily.
How?
Spend time in His Word.
Pray regularly.
Be willing to obey—even when it’s not easy.
You can’t know God’s will without knowing God Himself.
2. Sometimes God’s Will is Sour Before It’s Sweet
Life has sour seasons. High school drama. Friendships breaking. Family struggles. Feeling left out. College uncertainty.
Even Jesus had a moment in the garden of Gethsemane where He said:
“Not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42)
What’s a ‘lemon’ you’ve had to deal with lately?
God often uses the sour to shape the sweet.
Joseph went through prison before the palace.
David ran from Saul before sitting on the throne.
You may go through hard things now, but it doesn’t mean you’re out of God’s will, it may mean you’re right SMACK in the middle of it.
3. God’s Will Isn’t Always a Big Reveal, It’s a Daily YES!
Psalm 37:23
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…”
Notice it says “steps,” not “leaps.”
You may not know where you’re going to college yet.
You may not have a clue who you’ll marry.
But you can know what God wants you to do today:
~ Be kind to that girl sitting alone.
~ Spend time in the Bible.
~ Choose to stay pure.
~ Obey your parents.
~ Encourage someone.
~ Pray first, not last.
When you say “yes” to God in the small stuff, He’ll lead you in the really BIG stuff.
When you make lemonade...
Squeeze the lemons, add sweetener, add water..
Stirring it all together is Your obedience and trust.
When you give all the ingredients to God, He makes something refreshing out of what seemed sour.
Are you willing to say yes to God’s will, even when it’s not what you expected?