by Robert Fudge

One day at work I was complaining to my boss about some problem that I was expected to solve. His reply was that “our job is to solve problems. If we did not have any problems we would just let the computer run everything and we would all go home.” After that conversation I have always faced my problems from a different perspective.

Before Adam and Eve sinned there were no problems. Well, they did have to decide what to eat and when but at least they didn’t have to decide what to wear. When sin came, problems soon followed. We all now have to deal with problems every day. It may be temptation to sin or it may be sin already committed. It may be physical, mental, emotional or other pain. It may be sickness, suffering or even death. It may be money, marriage, children, parents, friends, co-workers, and the list goes on. We all have problems. Peter explains how we can deal with them in I Peter 1:3-9:

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living h ope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

First, we know that all problems are only temporary. We have an inheritance (our heavenly mansion that Jesus is building) waiting for us when we are done here. This is why we are told repeatedly to keep our eyes on Jesus or our affections on the things above. Paul says that the problems of this life don’t begin to compare with the glory of what is waiting to welcome us.

Then we are told that this inheritance will be there for us. Not just wishful thinking but guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit given to us and by the inability of God (by His nature) to lie. It won’t fade, spoil or perish.

We are then told that we can (and should) even rejoice when we face these problems because that is what makes our faith stronger and more ready to be with the Lord. When God tested Abraham in telling him to offer Isaac and he went thru with it, (until God stopped him) was his faith stronger or weaker? We all know that it proved and strengthened his faith. So do our problems today. On another occasion Paul tells us to use our problems to help others. If God has carried me thru a particular storm in my life, then I can help you to trust Him with a similar storm in your life. Hey, just dawned on me that is the same principle we have talked about before; God loves me so I love you. God forgives me so I forgive you. God gives me encouragement and comfort so I give you encouragement and comfort. So, the more I become like God, the more He can use me in His service to others around me. As I look back at some of the storms I have weathered, I am thankful to those that God used to row my boat and bail water to keep me from sinking. So as the song says: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” May God bless you today and through the weekend as you live for Him.