Someone once said, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” Of course, it was a reference to troubles common to us all. However, lemonade is not the only use for lemons. I use lemons as seasoning. A couple of slices when grilling fresh salmon is very tasty.

The fact is, most seasoning by themselves does not taste well at all. I do not like black pepper, cumin, garlic, et cetera, straight from their containers. When I focus solely on trials I don’t like them.

I view trials as the seasoning in life. By themselves, they are bitter and sometimes cruel. Added to the rest of our lives, God’s blessings, the promise of eternal bliss in heaven, and the many other benefits, they are as seasoning. Just as salt, pepper, and some lemon slices make us appreciate grilled salmon, trials make us appreciate life more and better.

I do not mean to discount the extremely harsh trials that some of my friends are enduring at the present. Some of those situations are simply the consequences of life in the temporal realm. Our loved ones may become sick or pass into eternity. However, there is no sadness in heaven over the death of a saint. While we mourn their exit, heaven joyfully anticipates their arrival. If we did not have that hope, the trial would not be as seasoning, but as a burnt and unappetizing situation.

Above all else we must know that God loves us. We must know that He made a way through the sacrifice of His Son that we could spend eternity with Him in a realm far superior to this one. We should realize that while trials may hurt, and they may cause great angst, doubt, or fear, they can be beneficial (1 Peter 1:6-9). We don’t wish them on ourselves or anyone else. But we mount up with our faith, endure, and overcome them. When they are passed, we are more grateful than ever for God’s unfathomable love, mercy and grace. If we focus on the trial we may become bitter. If we put it into the rest of our life including God’s blessings and eternity, we become better. That’s the good fight of faith.

Someone once said, “If we prayed before we get in trouble, like we do when we get in trouble, we’d not get in as much trouble.”  When Satan or his demons come to check your armor for cracks, may his eyes be blinded by a heart ablaze with a raging first love for God and His Son, Christ.