| | --- 1 --- |
| | God uses problems to DIRECT you. |
| | Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. |
| | Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to |
| | change. Is God trying to get your attention? ''Sometimes it |
| | takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.'' |
| | Proverbs 20:30 |
| | |
| | --- 2 --- |
| | God uses problems to INSPECT you. |
| | People are like tea bags...if you want to know what's inside |
| | them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested |
| | your faith with a problem What do problems reveal about |
| | you? ''When you have many kinds of troubles, you should |
| | be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test |
| | your faith, and this will give you patience.'' James 1:2-3 |
| | |
| | --- 3 --- |
| | God uses problems to CORRECT you. |
| | Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's |
| | likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a |
| | hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. |
| | Sometimes we only learn the value of something...health, |
| | money, a relationship... by losing it. ''It was the best thing |
| | that could have happened to me, for it taught me |
| | to pay attention to your laws.'' Psalm 119:71-72 |
| | |
| | --- 4 --- |
| | God uses problems to PROTECT you. |
| | A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from |
| | being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend |
| | was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss |
| | had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but |
| | it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year |
| | later when management's actions were eventually discovered. |
| | ''You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good... |
| | Genesis 50:20 |
| | |
| | --- 5 --- |
| | God uses problems to PERFECT you. |
| | Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. |
| | God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. |
| | Your relationship to God and your character are the only two |
| | things you're going to take with you into eternity. |
| | ''We can rejoice when we run into problems... they help us learn |
| | to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us |
| | and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our |
| | hope and faith are strong and steady.'' Romans 5:3-4 |
| | Here's the point: |
| | God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it. |
| | But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him. |
| | ''Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in |
| | lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way.'' |