Do You Make Lemonade When Life Starts To Squeeze?
Sometimes we convince ourselves that we are peaceful people—until life gets squeezed. When stress or frustration hits, your defense systems fail, and your "default person" comes to light. For some, it’s anger or a need for control; for others, it’s withdrawal or anxiety. In 1 Samuel 16:7 , God says that He does not look at what man sees: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Those automatic reactions in moments of tension aren't an accident; they are an exact X-ray of what truly fills our hearts. Formal religion will tell you to try harder, bite your tongue, or count to ten. But the Gospel isn't about human self-control or pretending to be mature. It’s about surrender. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 , Paul writes: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” God doesn't want to touch up your default person—He wants to crucify it. He isn...