How do you respond when you discover that you have a problem? Whether it’s your car not starting on a frigid winter morning or the recurrence of a besetting sin or conflict in a significant relationship in your life, how do you respond? If you’re like me you’re default response is probably something negative. You get angry at the situation. Your anxiety level rises. Or maybe you just shut off, walk away, and avoid.
It’s time for us to shift our perspective when we encounter problems in our lives. Rather than seeing a problem, let’s see an opportunity for God to prove his goodness and a chance for us to practice trusting and get to know our heavenly Father better. If our God is who he says he is then we can encounter problems with anticipation and delight rather than frustration and fear.
Graham Cooke, a preacher that’s consistently shifted my own perspective in life and faith, often says that “We are only ever challenged by the goodness of God.” If God is good and God is the one who is ultimately in control of the world (which He is, if the Bible is accurate), then no circumstance in our life comes our way outside of God’s good intent. That doesn’t mean every circumstance in and of itself is good, but that there is always an opportunity to encounter or discover his goodness in the circumstance.
The Apostle Paul put it this way,
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Let’s keep our eye out for goodness. Try it this weekend. Next time you encounter a difficulty or a problem, pause your default reaction and step back. Shift your perspective and start anticipating God’s goodness showing up.
This goes for your own sin as well. Rather than kicking yourself and feeling ashamed when you fall back into the same stupid problem again, repent, ask forgiveness, and look up. It’s in your weakness that God’s power is made perfect. Look eagerly to your savior for how he will show his love to you.
Practice delight when you discover you have a problem. Odds are you’ll see some pretty cool things happen.
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