Every problem you face in life introduces you to yourself in a new way. It shows you how you think and what you’re made of. People basically respond to problems in three ways: 1) they refuse to accept them, 2) they accept them and then endure them, or 3) they accept them and try to improve things. Which of the three people do you tend to be? Paul was a problem solver. He knew that with God on his side, he’d win through in the end. ‘We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again’ (v.7-9 CEV). So when it comes to having problems, what should we do? 1) Anticipate them. Problems are unavoidable, but we can prepare for them spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. If we pray for God’s best and anticipate Satan’s worst, we’ll be in a strong position to solve the problems that come our way. 2) See the big picture. Problems will raise certain emotions, but we must try not to be overcome by those feelings, or get weighed down in tiny details and lose sight of what’s really important. 3) Handle one thing at a time. Richard Sloma said, ‘Never try to solve all the problems at once – make them line up for you one-by-one.’ If we’re facing lots of problems, let’s make sure we actually solve the one we’re working on before moving on to the next one.
