Problem SolvingSample

Our Problems are Transient

Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” - Mt 14:31

It is surprising how well we remember past problems, but so quickly forget how they were solved. Our fears magnify our problems. Although Peter had enough faith to step out of the boat, he got distracted by the boisterous wind and became fearful. His fear caused him to take his focus away from Jesus and onto the problem at hand – that of sinking in the water.

Even though we know that most of our problems are short-lived and that God has delivered us from similar circumstances in the past, we let our fears take hold of us. We take our eyes off of God just like Peter did while walking on the water. We prefer to focus on our problems instead of focusing on the One Who can be trusted to help us come out of them. Even a little faith, when focused on Jesus, quiets our doubts.

Mother Teresa, who perhaps faced more problems for the sake of others than most of us will face in a lifetime, said ‘I know God will not give me anything I cannot handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much’. She understood that God, as a loving Father, will only test a person to the extent that he or she can handle it.

We will do ourselves a lot of good by remembering that there are no permanent problems. Even the biggest problem of all – the problem of sin and death, has been solved by God in Christ. When we live for the present, every problem becomes significant. When we live in the light of eternity, all of our problems seem trivial because they are indeed transient. As we mature in our spiritual life we come to realise that there is a reality that is much bigger than the hardest problems that we are facing today or those we would face in the future.

Here are my problems, Lord. I trust that You will carry me through unscathed. You are my deliverer. Amen