What's The Problem?

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I’ve been told that I go through life in oblivion sometimes. I think I have made someone mad or hurt feelings and not known that I have. People don’t say anything to me; they just stop talking to me. OK what did I do? If I don’t understand the problem, how can I fix it?  One of the times it happened was years ago. I apologized many times and ever sent flowers but no good came of it. I finally decided that I had done all I could and would just have to let it go. I miss the friendship, we talk but it’s just not the same as it was. One thought did come to me though which I have never forgotten. It was as if I heard God say to me, “Why are you working so hard to ask this person for forgiveness, when you haven’t asked me who gives willingly?”

The other day it happened again. A new friendship was just beginning. I made a thoughtless comment and hurt feelings. I was just being me with my weird sense of humor, but she doesn’t know me well enough for that. I hope we can get back to the blossoming stage. It is spring after all. I wasn’t sure that was the problem but I apologized anyway.

“Professor Bill Keaty, University of Pennsylvania would put a math problem on the board of his classroom at the beginning of each semester, and ask the students to solve it. They didn’t know whether it was an addition, multiplication, or subtraction problem and couldn’t solve it.

‘Not only in life, not only in law, but in every endeavor before we can solve the problem, it is essential to know what the problem is. If you don’t know what the problem is, how can you solve it. You might end up polishing the brass on a sinking ship.’” (Sunny Side Up Lucille Johnson 1993 Covenant Communications)

We all have problems as we go through this life. Some are easy to solve and others can be daunting. We can solve them, be depressed about them, hide from them or get help for them. We can learn from them and go out to help others. I read today about a young Utah man who lost his job. While looking for another he decided to spend a month helping others. Each week he had a new project, blankets for the homeless, food for the hungry, a gift card for those in need. He gained an appreciation for what he had.

Richard Bach, author of Illusions said, “Every Problem comes with a gift in hand. If you solve the problem, you receive the gift.” Just knowing the problem is taken care of gives you a gift of peace of mind.

What’s your problem?

How are you going to solve it?

Do you need help?