Embracing Problems as God's Tool for Growth

I am not a person who will sweep a problem under the rug. I used to confront them head on. But this approach would leave many people hurting, and it would create new problems that I have to confront again. I had since changed my approach because of two important things I learned about God.

First, I learned that God is in control and that He is aware of what I am going through. If He wants to, He can remove my problems, but if He does not, it means He is using them to teach me something important. Second, I learned that, as a Father, God will not allow me to go through anything that is not good for me. So, whenever problems come, I ask these questions, “What is God trying to teach me? What weakness is He trying to expose? What good will this problem bring?” By doing this, I have learned to embrace my problems!

I would embrace them the way Jacob embraced the angel he wrestled with in Genesis 32:24 to 32. Even with a dislocated hip bone, he held on to the angel and said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” In the same way, I would now tell God, “Do not let this problem end until I learn from it.” Weird, no? I pray this because I know that if I do not learn from my problems, they will come back to haunt me again and again.

In my life, God has been using problems as His tool to grow me. He allows me to go through them to give me a chance to apply the things I know. In the process, I get to convert my knowledge to abilities that will prepare me for the opportunities He may send my way. Problems are a friend to those who want to become wise, so embrace this friend and learn from him.

Have a blessed day!