The trouble with trouble is that a little dab can disable us when we have the wrong perspective and modus operandi. Remember the comedy routine featuring a man who accidentally sticks his hand in a bucket of glue? The harder he tries to get his hand unstuck, the more of his body and whatever he uses to pry himself loose becomes stuck. Even as a child I realized the glue dilemma could have been averted with a little common sense.
Let's relabel the bucket "problem" or "glitch" or "change of plan" instead of "glue." Don't we fixers do the same thing when we apply all of our focus, energy, and resources on getting rid of the problem? The bucket becomes our lives instead of a small part of our lives. Before long all our systems jam up, we're exhausted and our "I give up" positions aren't as comical as the glue skit guy's were. Finally we ask God to bring out His special formula of Goo-be-gone and free us from our own fixing.
I'm still wearing the sticky from past problems I've whacked with my usual two-by-four or jumped into with both feet, so I'm trying to use my common sense and stand back to let God handle each bucket first. My prayer is to become aware of Him every moment of the day so my first response to new problems is to simply stand still and casually ask, "Lord, what's Your plan here?" My next goal requires even more self-restraint: I want to go with the plan God reveals, asking no questions, making no suggestions, and refusing to tweak it in the least. Every time I've forced myself to stop and let Him touch the problems I faced, He's dissolved the stickiest of situations and untangled the most troublesome troubles. I guess that means the trouble with trouble is me.
Lord Jesus, You promised we'll have trouble as long as we're in this world. So be it - You said it - I believe it. But please, help us stop making bigger, stickier trouble from what could have been a momentary problem. You call us to walk in the Light of Your Presence because that's where we find Your perspective and Peace. You've already overcome this world and all its bottomless buckets of troubles and worries. Help us live as if the problems we face can't affect us because You've conquered them and they're subject to Your reign. Forgive us when we get it backwards and let the problems reign instead of You, Almighty God. We sing praises to Your name for kicking the biggest buckets of them all: Satan, sin and death!
In the name of Jesus, Conquerer and King, Lord of Light and Love!
"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, LORD." Psalm 89:15
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. but take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
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