Problematic Facts About Problems
Problems! Problems! Problems! The word means “multi-colored”. Problems will come in so many shapes, sizes, and forms that there is no way you can ever be bored with them.
Here are some Problematic Facts About Problems:
1. Problems are not an elective in life.
James 1:2-4… My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. 3 You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. 4 If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be.
Problems are the required course. Why? Because under pressure, your faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
2. Problems are unpredictable.
Matthew 6:34… Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
We don’t plan a flat tire and we don’t know what problems may arise tomorrow. We just have to take on each day, one day at a time. I’ve heard it said, “Christians are like tea bags: You don’t know what is in them until you put them in hot water.” We must remember that our faith is developed when things do not go as planned. It teaches us to trust God regardless of our current situation.
Now some good news…
3. Problems are not permanent.
Luke 2:1… And it came to pass…
If it came to “pass”, it didn’t come to “stay”! Be encouraged. Whatever problems you are facing, they won’t last forever. You can make it though.
Problems show us how grown up we are because they reveal our values. Our values determine how we evaluate the circumstances we find ourselves in. Such as… If we value comfort more than character, problems will upset us. If we value the material more than the spiritual, we won’t be able to “count it all joy”. If we value only the present and forget about the future, the problems will make us bitter not better.
Remember this: The increase of pressure on your faith increases the rate of endurance your faith has. Matthew 24:13… But the one who endures to the end will be saved.