How Big is Your Problem?

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.

Hebrews 12:2

My sister, Lynn, and I don't just share DNA but a common passion for fitness. Running is a part of both our fitness routines. So is a commitment to avoid anything "scary" en route. Scary includes motorized vehicles, weird looking men, and pretty much any kind of animal - big dogs, little dogs, snakes, skunks and even squirrels.


As she rounded a corner, Lynn encountered a nut-toting, fluffy-tailed rodent affectionately known as the squirrel. They were in an OK corral stand-off in the middle of the street while scenes from the rogue squirrel in Christmas Vacation flashed in Lynn's mind. Squirrel took Round 1; Lynn stopped running and waited for Mr. Nutty to cross.


Mr. Fluffy-Tail took one second too long to victory stare mid-road. His next motion was a spiral through the air Cirque du Soleil can't touch. A minivan took Round 2.


When I find myself on life's road staring difficulty in the eye, I'm tempted to ponder the magnitude of my problem. That is the wrong question. The right one is - how big is my God?

I'm not going to strategize my way out.


I'm not going to think my way out.


I'm not going to worry my way out.


He is my way of escape.


I have to allow my squirrel-sized faith trust in a mini-van sized God. I will encounter issues on the road. 


Some will bruise my spirit.


Others will cut my confidence.


From all I will fully recover when I take my eyes off my problem and fix them on my Solution.


How big is your God?

Long Term Residence

Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.

One of my favorite perks of Memphis residence is the occasional lunch with my brother.  Today was one of those "perky" days.  I sat at our favorite Mexican restaurant; the site of the famed glass in the salsa incident. 

We were laughing and chatting with the familiarity of lifelong friendship.  I still felt the discomfort of Wednesday's fingernail mishap.   The residual pain lasted far longer than I'd planned.

In between bites of salsa flooded chips, I absentmindedly wiped my eye with the back of my hand.  A single swipe brought instant relief.  There taking a free ride, was Wednesday's finger nail clipping.  I only thought it had been removed.  Instead it spent parts of three days scratching and maneuvering about my eye. 

Some days my life's problems resemble the nail clipping.  I think they're long gone but the discomfort continues.  I think I've moved on.  They've taken up residence.

As I read today's passage, I heard God's encouragement.  When life seems more stray clipping than executed plan, God delivers me.  He is glorified in my weakness.

My tendency to fall prey to repeat offenses.

My negativity which springs out of nowhere.

Jesus, all to often I think I've removed some issue from my life only to find it still taking up residence.  Realizing the nail is there is the first step to its' removal.  Take out my shortfall.  And let me become a long-term residence of Your grace.