Lemon Tree Revisited...

Remember the lemon tree? The one that is incredibly pampered yet refuses to yield lemons. I want to revisit this little tree for a moment. The gist of that blog was that life really isn't concerned about our timing, it's all in God's timing. That isn't really a comforting thought for an impatient, control freak like myself or is it? I mean if the timing of events isn't really up to me, then what am I so worried about? If I trust that God works all things for my good (Romans 8:28), and I am doing my part to walk in obedience, then should I really be living in angst?

I guess the answer is no, unless...unless I grow impatient and begin to take matters into my own hands. Ahhh, this is where trouble comes. This line of thinking came to me as I was listening to a song, "Lemon Tree" by Post Malone (No Judgment, please!). The lyric states, "I'm gonna burn it (said lemon tree) down and grow me something better."

Y'all that hit me! What if we grow impatient as we are waiting on the fruit from our lemon tree and we burn it down? We burn it down, all in the name of growing something better, but what we grow is the same or worse! If we take matters into our own hands and burn it down, what might we miss?

I think in many aspects of life, we quit too soon. We quit the exercise, the job, the diet, the marriage. We give up on the journey because we grow impatient or we lose our focus. Maybe we are focusing on our surroundings and how sweet the "world" looks, rather than focusing on the fruit that we seek...the fruit...it's the whole reason for the journey. The fruit...it's everything we have been working for!

Losing focus can happen in a millisecond! This lack of focus can cause you to make one choice that will burn down your lemon tree, all in the hopes of growing something better. But don't we know by now, that there really isn't anything better? There will always be the struggle. It may look a little different or be with a different person but the struggle will still be there. How disappointing would it be to put all this work into the journey, waiting on the fruit, only to throw a match on it and watch it burn? Pivoting to fulfill our fleshly desires in hopes of growing something better will likely not yield the results we are seeking.

I'm able to say this with such confidence because I know my God. I know that when I align my desires and my heart with Him, He will eventually yield the fruit that I seek in my life. My role is to continue to pamper that tree, walk in obedience, and wait for His perfect timing.

Throughout my journey I always wanted God's best, not what I thought was best for me at the time but His best! I could have burned down my tree and tried to grow something better but I wasn't seeking better...I wanted BEST!

What is your lemon tree? Have you been patiently waiting on your fruit but you have hit the wall? Are you tired of waiting? I've been there!! I caution you on giving up too soon. Be careful not to burn down your tree thinking you can grow something better. Apart from God, this will be very difficult to do, if not impossible!

He is omniscient; He knows it all! Let Him guide you and produce the fruit you seek in His perfect timing. He's never late, never early, but right on time! Wait for His BEST!

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." -Ecclesiastes 3:11

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

Until next time...

**Stay Tuned--I will be hosting a women's retreat in the coming weeks entitled:

"Beyond the Blog: Burned Bricks".

More information to come!