Blessing Your Problems

It’s that time of the year when we aim to please and if we fall short of our goal, we tend to come down really hard on ourselves. It’s unfortunate, but I’ve seen people who think that the only way to enjoy a good holiday season is to make it bigger and better than the year before. Thanksgiving dinners and holiday parties, in some cases, have become an internal family competition rather than a celebration, stirring up harsh emotions rather than cheerful joys. I think this year has opened the eyes of most families knowing that, like any marathon competitor, the “wall” has been hit and from here on all you can do is the best you can do. A lot of disappointment will be realized, with the shortfall of funds, to travel and lacking the ability to entertain, as they might like. This is all good though, because we’re all extremely thankful for all that we do have, right?
The preacher decided that a demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday morning sermon. Four worms were placed into four different containers. The first worm was put into a container of alcohol. The second into a container of cigarette smoke. The third worm was placed in a container of chocolate syrup. The forth worm was put in a container of good clean damp soil. At the conclusion of his lesson, the preacher reported the following observation: The first worm in alcohol, dead; The second worm in cigarette smoke, dead; The third worm in chocolate syrup, dead; The forth worm in good clean soil, Alive! The preacher unwittingly asked the congregation, “What can we learn from this demonstration?” A little old lady in the middle of the audience raised her hand and said, “As long as you drink, smoke and eat chocolate you won’t have worms!”
Daniel Defoe gave some good advice through his fictitious character Robinson Crusoe. The first thing Crusoe did when he found himself on a deserted island was to make out a list. On one side of the list, he wrote down all his problems. On the other side of the list, he wrote down all his blessings. On one side, he wrote: I don’t have any clothes. On the other side, he wrote: But it’s warm and I don’t really need any. On one side, he wrote: All of my provisions were lost. Opposite he wrote: But there is plenty of fresh fruit and water on this island. And on down the list he went. In this fashion, he discovered that for every negative aspect about his situation, there was a positive aspect, something to be thankful for.
[Psalm 30] Are you on the island of despair? Perhaps it’s time to take inventory of your blessings and turn your depressed state into an expression of thanks. And some of us may be long overdue in expressing our thanks to God. The prophet Samuel called David, a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) No matter what the earthly circumstance David found himself in, he could make a list of his troubles and counter them with a list of blessings, of which he gave all the glory to God, whom he trusted and loved with all his being. We should take to heart the examples recorded for us about the life of David and his relationship with God. When facing the giants of life, is it better for me to attack with the armor of man, or the armor of God? When I have strayed from that, which I know is right and have done wrong, is it better to make excuses to men or confess to God and beg His forgiveness? Stop looking at all the depressing problems of life and take an inventory of your blessings. Give God the glory and worries fade away.