When Life Serves You Lemons

 

When life serves you Lemons…

It’s not often we get comments on an issue of the Grandparent Chronicles, but May’s issue- “Did God Make A Mistake?” a message on same sex attraction, was the exception.  The reader questioned why there were no comments or questions from others, then suggested that we tackle the reality of a person born with no hands or legs. There are a few possibilities for a question like this.

1- An attempt to point out that maybe God does make mistakes after all.

2- To question the power or even existence of God.

3- A genuine desire to know why an all powerful and loving God allows these types of "Infuriating Unfairnesses" to be.

All three motives deserve an answer. Even if a satisfactory answer may not be within our finite capacity to comprehend, at least one should be attempted.

A good place to start is always in the scriptures.  I must confess as did Nephi (1 Ne 11:17) “I know that he (God) loveth his children, nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”  Jesus went about showing that love by helping and healing those who had been served lemons in this life. In (John 1:1-3) Jesus and his disciples encounter a man which was blind from his birth. “Master,” they asked, “ who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be manifest in him.” In the April 2021 General Conference (Saturday afternoon session) Apostle Dale G Renlund gave a masterful talk entitled- “Infuriating Unfairness.”  We hope you’ll take time to review his entire explanation. A few insights follow.

“Some unfairness cannot be explained; inexplicable unfairness is infuriating. Unfairness comes from living with bodies that are imperfect, injured, or diseased. Mortal life is inherently unfair.” “Jesus Christ both understands unfairness and has the power to provide a remedy. Nothing compares to the unfairness he endured. It was not fair that He experienced all the pains and afflictions of mankind. It was not fair that He suffered for my sins and mistakes and for yours. But He chose to do so because of His love for us and for Heavenly Father. He understands perfectly what we are experiencing.” “In the eternities, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will resolve all unfairness. We understandably want to know how and when. How are they going to do that? When are They going to do it? To my knowledge, They have not revealed how or when. What I do know is that They will.”

He also taught an amazing truth. “If we let Him, Jesus Christ will consecrate the unfairness for our gain.  He will not just console us and restore what was lost; He will use the unfairness for our benefit.” Can this really be so?  We all know of amazing people, like Helen Keller, who in spite of unfair handicaps, go on to accomplish amazing feats. One such person living today is Nicholas James Vujicic. You may have heard of him, if not, let me introduce you. “Nick” was born Dec. 4, 1982. Nick says,

“I was born in Australia to Christian parents who started a church teaching about God’s love, then I was born without limbs.” When he was born, it was considered a disaster a terrible shock to his parents.  He had been born with Tetra-Amelia Syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs. He remembers thinking early on, “God if you love me like these other children, why was I born with less? What about- ask and ye shall receive? What about- faith of a grain of mustard seed can move mountains? At one point in time, he contemplated committing suicide. He asked himself, what’s my purpose? What’s my value? Am I defined by what other people think of me? If God is a God of miracles, where’s mine? Then the thought came to him, “If I don’t get a miracle, I can still be one!” He realized that when the world says you’re not good enough, it’s time to get a 2^nd opinion. He knew that he was Disabled. He also knew that a big Go in front of that word and it becomes- God Is Abled!” He also had been taught that whatever you are going through, God knows you, He is with you, and he is going to pull you through!

He concluded: This is who I am. This is what I have. I’m going to be thankful for that and do the best I can!  Realizing that he would never know what he could do or who he could become unless he tried. So, try he did. There was little he didn’t try. He learned to ride a skateboard, swim and even golf. He even learned how to drive a boat! Nick is now married to a beautiful woman and their marriage has been blessed with 4 “normal” children. He is an educated Christian evangelist and motivational speaker. He tells his audiences- “If you don’t know God’s purpose for you then you are living with a greater handicap than I am.” He reminds them- “one thing you don’t want to get wrong is who God is and where you’re going when you leave here.” “ Fear,” he teaches, “is the biggest disability of all. It will paralyze you worse than being in a wheelchair.”

Why are people born without arms and legs? Why do bad things happen to innocent people? Why is there so much “infuriating injustice” in this world of ours?

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that God loves all his children and that the amazing truth taught by Apostle Renlund – “If we let Him, Jesus Christ will consecrate the unfairness for our gain.” Is absolutely true!  Nicholas James Vujicic is living proof of that!

Much Love- The Grandparent Chronicles