Problems and Perspective

Episode • Nov 21, 2019 • 4m

Hey everyone I’m Pastor Gary Hoban and welcome to episode 67 of Refinery Life radio /TV.

Our goal here is to release a 2-3 minute video / Podcast each day, designed to challenge you and get you to spend more time with God.

Today we are going to talk about, Problems and Perspective.

Psalm 119:71 (AMP)

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

Think about this.

You and your friend have been close for years, you have never had a cross word between you.

But suddenly, you find yourself reacting with harsh, impatient words.

You think to yourself where did that come from? And your friend looks st you with a puzzled expression as if asking the same thing.

If you were to look beneath the problem, perhaps you would find a wound that needs healing, a jealousy that needs confessing, or a resentment in need of repentance.

Problems in life are tools in the Holy Spirits hands to reveal things to us we might never otherwise have considered.

Things like the truth about God, or about others, and especially about ourselves.

If we respond to the perspective God allows us to see, we can come out more mature on the other side.

Think about this, a lesson unlearned is a lesson returned.

Remember how Paul asked God to take away his problem in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ESV)

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

9 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God said no to Paul, but Paul saw something new.

He realised that God’s grace is sufficient, so much so that he began opening his arms to problems in order to experience more grace.

The next time you experience a problem, pray for a new perspective, and open your heart to embrace what God reveals.

Until tomorrow

Stay in the blessings

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