While flipping through my Bible, I found a highlighted passage in Psalms that caught my attention. It reads, “O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced.” Next to this passage, I had written, “God’s promise to me in my crisis,” along with the date. I remember that disaster vividly; it felt insurmountable at the time.
Interestingly, the event I believed would lead to my downfall has now become just a note in my Bible and a memory. My Bible is filled with notes, prayers, and highlighted verses that I have held onto. These entries tell the story of my life, reflecting my Heavenly Father’s faithfulness to me. That story reminds me that I live a life filled with answered prayers.
I remember talking to a friend who shared how stressful her life had become. She runs a successful business, has children, and is in a new marriage. As she began to voice her complaints, she paused and asked herself, “I have everything I’ve prayed for my entire life. Why am I complaining?”
Many of us live the lives we have prayed for, filled with homes, careers, cars, and families. Yet, we often complain about housework, job stress, finances, and relationships. The things we long for can become sources of stress, shifting our perception from gratitude to frustration.
Proverbs 14:4 states, “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” That meant that having an ox resulted in some mess, such as ox apples (dung), but the ox was a good thing even with all its apples. They helped bring a bigger harvest. That ancient wisdom remains relevant today.
We will inevitably encounter issues with family, careers, homes, and other aspects of life that we often take for granted. But do we really believe that our Heavenly Father would bless us with all that without being present to help us navigate our challenges? That notion is absurd!
I love my career and all it entails. I’m able to talk about Jesus and help people for a living. But running Caring Counseling brings ox apples. But I’ve changed the way I shovel those apples.
When problems arise, I turn to the Lord and say, “Looks like You have a problem to handle,” leaving it in His hands. When I’m tempted to take it back, I remind myself that it’s not my problem; it’s His. This practice helps me let go of the complaints and stress about the abundant life Jesus died to give me, knowing God has my back, especially when my Bible reminds me of God’s 100% track record of slaying my giants.
How about you? Are you tired of the seemingly endless problems in your life? Do you want to join me by giving them to God? Let God be the one with all the problems, not us. Let’s enjoy our best lives!
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