Most of us feel closer to our problems, our pain, and our struggles, than to God. Ask a co-worker or a friend what is on their heart and you are more likely to hear about a troubled relationship or a work-related issue. Very rarely will a person answer that he is pondering the depths of God’s grace and how he can apply it to his life.
Why do our problems seem so much more real and urgent? Because that is where we focus the majority of our time and effort. It is not that our problems are bigger than God; they just SEEM bigger because we misplace our focus and energy. Albert Einstein once wisely noted, “A problem cannot be solved on the same level in which it is created.” In other words, a human problem cannot be solved by humans. It MUST be solved on a higher level–it must be solved by God.
Our strategy for dealing with life’s problems is the opposite of what Christ exemplified. Christ spent HOURS with God in prayer so that He only had to spend MINUTES on His problems. (Matthew 26:36-46) Conversely, we spend minutes with God in prayer so we have to spend hours on our problems. We have it all backwards. And because we have it upside-down and turned inside-out, our lives are in utter disarray.
If you truly want to feel close to God, spend time with Him. Don’t confuse what is urgent with what is important. Don’t focus on your problems; focus on the One who understands both the problem and its answer.
Many people discover that doing is often their way of trying to become something. And once people learn who they are trying to become, what they do takes on a new significance and often assumes a lesser priority.
