Problems

A man recently sighed, “Problems, problems how I wish I could be rid of them,” and in truth we all share that longing at times. Yet problems never disappear; they simply change shape, following us through childhood, youth, adulthood, and old age, and appearing in our homes, work, churches, nation, and even our own hearts. They belong to life in a fallen world, but even before the Fall Adam faced the challenges of cultivating Eden and the daily test of obedience before the forbidden tree. To solve one problem is merely to create the conditions for the next, for problems are both the result of sin and the means of growth. Because this is God’s world, every problem has an answer, and each answer moves us on to new testing until we finally enter God’s eternal Kingdom. Problems, then, are opportunities sent by God occasions to grow, to obey, and to pursue our calling.