Different people have different ways of dealing with problems. When I was younger, I was prone to worry, but I learned in my late twenties that, as Dr. Phil says, "Worry is like rocking in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere." Incidentally, Dr. Phil also says this about guilt and a couple of other things, but I digress. I have always admired how several people very close to me seem to never worry about problems. They seem to take adversity in stride with a smile on their faces and a song in their hearts. Then, there are others who skip straight past worry into all out panic. They scratch and claw desperately for a solution to the issue.
Now, instead of worrying, I tend to ignore the problem, hoping that it will just go away. I do not recommend this particular coping mechanism. What I have found lately is that when I ignore a looming or lingering issue, it tends to sneak up and consume my thoughts when I least expect it. This happened to me just yesterday. I was getting ready to enjoy my day off when suddenly, I became paralyzed by fear and worry. I didn't utter a word. I couldn't utter a word. But, in my heart, I said, "Lord, I cannot do this. I do not know how to make it through this time. What am I supposed to do?"
I felt completely helpless. I had this sudden feelings that all of my best efforts to be obedient were still not enough to get me out of a situation that I had hoped would just go away or be miraculously resolved. And, then, I gave up. I gave up trying to make things work out and just said, "Lord, you have to fix this because I can't." Later in the day, I received two blessings that directly related to my problem. No one knew what the problem was, but God. I knew I had reached my limit. I had taken all I could take and I had done all I could do. And, I believe that God was glad that I came to that revelation, so that I could get out of His way and let Him show me how much He loves me.
And, He did. Not that He didn't already show it when He sacrificed His only Son, but He continues to show us in our daily lives, that He loves us. He is strong enough to take care of our every need. His grace is sufficient. If we would learn that it's alright to be weak and limited because our God is strong and limitless, imagine the miracles He could work in and through our lives. Ms. EV