How To Solve Problems (6)

Aug 20, 2019

‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.’John 16:33 NKJV

Sixth, you must try to keep your problems in perspective. You’ve probably heard the saying: ‘I grumbled because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.’

In a Peanuts cartoon, Snoopy (the dog) looks in and sees the family sitting around the table enjoying Thanksgiving dinner while he’s outside eating dog food. ‘How about that?’ he thinks. ‘Everybody’s eating turkey today, but because I’m just a dog I get dog food.’ Then he suddenly regains his perspective. ‘Of course, things could be worse—I could have been born a turkey!’

How big or how difficult our problem appears to be is often a matter of perspective. Most difficulties we face are pretty insignificant in the larger scheme of things. When a friend gets cancer or loses a loved one, we’re reminded of just how petty our issues are. Having (or not having) money isn’t the measure of how rich you are. The fact that your phone is not the latest model or you don’t even own a car doesn’t matter compared to receiving news that one of your family is seriously ill.

Realising there are people around you who have much bigger problems than yours brings gratitude and perspective. Jesus told His disciples, ‘These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’

SoulFood: Lam 1:1–3:39, Matt 19:15–30, Ps 119:121–128, Pro 18:13–20
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

Previous The Word for Today devotions

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
  12345
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
   1234
262728    
       
  12345
2728     
       
28      
       
      1
       
     12
       

Please sign me up to receive The Word for Today daily email