Problems are inevitable for any person, but in the life of God’s children, He uses problems to mold and develop us that we might be suitable for His kingdom. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” that we might “yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:6,11). Even Jesus learned obedience by the things that he suffered (Heb. 5:8).
Since God is governing the problems in our lives for our eternal good, we need to learn how to take a positive attitude toward them. We will need God’s help in doing this, for the natural tendency is to give way to panic, anger, despair or bitterness. So in Hebrews 12, Paul gives us valuable and timely advice: “Lift up the hands which hang down [don’t despair], and the feeble knees [don’t give in to fear and panic] and make straight paths for your feet, [straighten out our thinking] lest that which is lame be turned out of the way [lest we turn from the Lord]; but let it rather be healed [let our hurt be healed and not remain an open sorer (vs. 12-13).
Have a positive attitude
Since problems will occur and will be for our eternal good, we need to develop a positive attitude toward them. The beginning of a positive attitude is our belief in:
God — the almighty source and sustainer of all creation and our longsuffering, compassionate heavenly Father.
Jesus Christ — the Son of God exalted to His right hand and our leader, Savior and Lord.
The angels — God’s servants sent forth as ministers to the heirs of salvation.
God never deserts us in a problem. He always provides the knowledge we need and a way of escape that we may be able to endure the problems that are working for our own good. Sometimes we don’t take advantage of the help He provides, but He always provides it.
An example from John 13
At the last supper, Jesus again spoke to the disciples of his coming departure. He followed with clear instructions on how they were to cope effectively with the void they would experience and the adversity they would face. He emphasized the new commandment of self-sacrificial love which he exemplified and which he urged them to exercise.
How did Peter react to this? He concentrated on the problem and seemed to have dismissed the solution. “Lord, whither goest thou?” he says and continued “Lord why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake” (vs. 36, 37). He was like a child clinging to a departing parent, focusing on the frightening prospect of life without his Lord and Master. He saw the problem and failed to grasp the grander plan being worked out.
It is often the same with us! We see the problem and fret over it even though we are encouraged by Jesus to commit our problems to God and concentrate on the positive aspect of seeking the kingdom of God.
Look to the grand plan
Jesus continued: “Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). In verse 3, he told them exactly why he was leaving — to prepare a place for them so that eventually they could always be with him. He had their interest at heart.
The key words are, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” but again negative human thinking asserts itself: “We know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way?”
In his answer, Jesus declared: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” For them, and for us, he is the way of hope through all our problems. He was with them and is with us — the solution to all their problems and all of ours. But they did not perceive this. They were too blinded by their own misconceptions and negative outlook. If they had concentrated on what he was telling them, they could have experienced even then the fullness of joy and peace he so much wanted them to have.
Having the right priority
In the way he lived, Jesus demonstrated this life is a training experience to take us to God’s kingdom. Material acquisitions held no interest for him as he looked to the eternal goal. If we follow his example, our attention will be riveted on the kingdom of God. With this frame of mind, problems will be viewed objectively and with confidence that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
Our hearts will therefore not be troubled nor afraid because our love will be made perfect in God and “perfect love casts out fear” (I John 4:18).
The benefits of brotherly love
In John 13, when preparing them for his departure, Jesus exhorted them to love one another as he had loved them. If they would do this, they would be bound in a unity of strength with each other and with God so that they would enjoy the same fullness of joy and peace which Jesus experienced.
At the end of this discourse, he prayed: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:20-23).
Striving to attain this kind of love will take us on the positive road to happiness and confidence that has its source in God. It will yield positive results, overcoming negative forces because it is rooted in the strength, power and joy of the Almighty.
God provides solutions
In this same discourse of Jesus, we see how God provides solutions for our problems. Jesus was not only going away, he was charging the disciples with the work of preaching the gospel to all the world. But he would not leave them comfortless; he would be with them through the comforter — the Holy Spirit.
We can relate to the disciples’ fears; the job before them was formidable. But they were given the help they needed; all things were brought to their remembrance and they were given the words to speak in critical situations.
Jesus was leading us to rely on God when he said, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30). A glimpse of his complete dependence on the support of his Heavenly Father is evident in the garden of Gethsemane. Even though he often spent entire nights in prayer to His Father, when he felt the full impact of his forthcoming agony, he wanted to draw back.
Characteristically, he threw himself on the mercy and power of his Father in his cry of anguish which penetrated the heavens to the throne of grace.
The Father quickly responded by sending an angel to strengthen him. In that strength, Jesus went forth to face his enemies with full confidence and resolve to do his Father’s will.
In times of severe crisis, we, too, are sometimes overwhelmed by fear and foreboding. Jesus points the way — the throne of grace is always there for us. Our pleas are heard and we are strengthened. We cannot always explain how the strength comes, but we become aware of relief as stress and fear are replaced by a peace and quietness of spirit.
The power “to usward who believe”
Paul tells us that the greatness of the power that God used to raise Christ from the dead is the same power “to usward who believe.” This power may not be evident in our lives when we think of our struggles. But looking at the life of Jesus, one might draw the same conclusion. He was born in a manger and, as an adult, “had not where to lay his head.” “He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
Yet Jesus learned obedience by what he suffered. As the Psalmist states: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (Psa. 119:71). This is the power of God in that He knows exactly where and how to bring trouble in order to develop the inner man of the spirit.
The sufferings of Jesus prepared him for his role of helping us now, of being our comforter. Our sufferings in this life will likewise fit us for the part we will play in God’s kingdom on this earth when, by His grace, we will help the mortals develop into godly people. We will have to interact with those in our charge. Our sufferings now prepare us to fully understand and sympathize with them as we seek to guide them to eternal life. What we go through now is merely a means to this much greater role God wants us to play.
Encouragement from nature
The points we have considered help us to think constructively about our difficulties. We can also be helped by thoughtfully noting the evidence all around us of God’s eternal power and presence. All things testify to His power, control and grace: The air we breathe, the sunshine and rain which make grass grow for the cattle; fruits and vegetables which grow in abundance for the satisfaction of man (Psa. 104:14). Beauty is seen everywhere, testifying to His grace: gorgeously arrayed flowers, sunrise and sunset, the beautiful sounds of birds, water and wind. There is infinite variety, yet wonderful order that continues year after year. The multitude of stars awe and encourage us as the prophet testified: “Lift up your eyes on high and behold who created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth” (Isa. 40:26).
Sometimes we must make deliberate effort to pursue these thoughts and pull ourselves away from the often futile and vain demands of our daily lives. We need to look at God’s creation and meditate upon its splendor, beauty, power and wonder.
Yes, we have all the forces of the universe operating directly under the wise and gracious control of God — who is on our side. And if that were not enough, at His right hand is our Savior to whom God has given all power in heaven and earth.
We have many opportunities to think positively if we encourage ourselves in His ways day by day. Let us lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees that we might be welcomed with joy into the everlasting arms of our heavenly Father.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One