Situations Not Problems

Situations Not Problems 

by David Brenneman 

It's the emotional backing that drives our thoughts towards listing things that happen to us and to others as problems.

In God's eyes these are not problems but rather situations.  They are essentially incidents.  

The harder part for all is to see what it is that God's either doing or trying to say to us within these things.  Sometimes incidents are just that, an incident.  Nothing was meant by it, and it's our reaction that displays either growth in Christ or it displays a need for more. 

Yesterday was a day for me.  Work was starting off with new tests to learn.  My Wife was getting ready to go somewhere and her car was about to leave the driveway and the check engine light was on, other alerts were going off.  So I needed to come to her assistance. 

In the midst I call my brother, relaying the story thus far.  Get home and begin his over the phone instructions.  Replacing parts, no sign of fixing it. Progressing through other tests, get to where I am taking parts off and inside to bench test. 

Was on my back at one point and my problem with doing that asserted itself and I was overcome with nausea.  But kept trying to press on.  Get this part, not fixing it.  Get down to a possible part in the driver's rear that a video pointed to and had to be on my back again looking up. Wave number two of nausea.  Took a lot of time to get past that to go get the part. God provided because it was in stock.  Get it put on and after some fussing got the codes to clear.  Round 1.  Got inside and had to sit for a long time until my nausea let up the rest of the way.  At some point I fell asleep.  Came out of that n had to try to move on to other things. One situation down others to go. 

The riding mower has been problematic this year.  Yesterday was no different. Kept blowing belts. So it got parked.  We kept our push mower and I dug it out.  Topped off the oil n filled it. It fired right up. Regardless of my desire to do so, it was apparently God's solution at the time.  I still put on my noise canceling headphones and still listened to my praise music.  Got half mowed.  Another situation being resolved. 

What's all this to say?  An older version of me would not have been so calm about them happening.  Would have very much reacted differently.   Would not have looked for God's solutions to things nor seen what needed to be seen to get a desired result. 

Saw a reminder this morning of the dangers of being a child in a Pastors house.  Anything said or done could turn into a sermon illustration.  It's been a practice of God's since I began writing each day that He often uses my life as an example to others by the situations that He allows or brings me. 

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 NASB. 

Was also reading in John this morning too.  A situation happened and Jesus provided the solution, the result was people were seeing the hand of God in it. They missed the main point but did see the power of Christ in what Jesus did. 

Yesterday was a series of situations. A series of opportunities that were allowed to happen by Jesus.  I can only speculate as to whether or not all that came to mind about them was everything He was wanting to cross my mind concerning them.  I likewise can only speculate as to whether or not Satan got upset as to my not reacting like I used to...but I suspect he didn't like it. 

It was far more of a struggle to get through with the nausea yesterday than writing about it can convey.  I know that it's on me to trust God when He has these things for me to do and trust Him for the results.  If God's behind it, don't fret the details. Just do and trust Him for the rest.

I still have about 2/3rds of a lawn to push mow but it will happen in time.  Still have to figure out the riding mower but it will happen.  God's timing is always on time. 

Keeping our emotions out of situations isn't always easy. Our emotions tend to corrupt our rational thought.  When God's wanting to bless we often get in the way of Him by our response. It's been a lesson to learn to not stop someone trying to bless us.  It's something to consider that we would be blessed and the person offering is as well.  If indeed that is God's avenue of providing, go with it.  Pray about it, see what God says.  If it's of Him, you'll know.

Keep the emotions aside.  Being over eager about something will get us to talk ourselves into something we will later find out was really a no from God.  We read in the Bible of a few times people convinced themselves that something was of God when it wasn't.  A solution they went with wasn't from God.  We do the same today. 

When you go about your day look at what happens to you from a Godly perspective. If something happens don't make rash decisions. God's never early nor is He ever late.  He's interested on growing us in Christ Jesus.  

Daniel, as Godly as he was, still was growing in Christ through his circumstances.  God still caused all things to work together for good for Daniel.  

Daniel still proved that He was indeed Christ's workmanship.  If indeed you are in Christ, that very same Jesus is doing that very same thing in you.