Overcoming your problems

Have you let your problems consume your mind? Are they all you can think about to the point that it distracts you from everything else? I’ve been there. There are sleepless nights, strained relationships and an over all lack of productivity. They stand in the way of everything you do and the stress becomes more than you can bear.

You can choose to let them overtake your life or you can take your life back. Jesus didn’t say, “Come to me and I’ll take all your troubles away.”. What he said in John 16:33 was, “In this world you will have trouble, trials, distress and frustration.” Sometimes it seems we get all of them at the same time and become overwhelmed.

Here are some steps to help you if you find yourself there.

1. Cheer up

That’s what Jesus said to do in that same verse. It seems odd, but really what happens is that when you get under that kind of stress is that you become depressed. Depression sucks the life out of you and the will to do anything to combat the problems.

Find a way to get your joy back first. The joy of the Lord is your strength. When you have your strength, you have the ability to overcome your problems. God has made us more than conquerors and that includes our stresses and problems. I heard someone say recently, “Don’t tell God how big your problems are. Tell your problems how big your God is!”

2. Don’t worry

Worry is your enemy. It leads to doubt. Doubt leads to a lack of faith. A lack of faith leads to defeat. I’m not saying don’t take your problems seriously. I’m saying that worrying about them won’t fix them and will ultimately consume you. When you are consumed by your problems you can’t see your future.

God knows your needs before you even ask. He sees you buried under those problems. He says, “Take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted. I have deprived it of power to harm you.” Gain that confidence that with God you can overcome your problems. Then attack them one by one.

3. Take action

God did not call you to fight defensively. Go on the offensive. Don’t look at the mountain ahead that you have to climb. Look at the next step and take it. Gain small victories where you can. Build your faith and gain your strength as you move up the mountain.

Inaction leads to ineffectiveness. You can stand and do nothing and allow yourself to be consumed and ineffective or you can stand and fight. Ephesians 6 says when you have done all the crisis demands to stand firmly in your place. Stand therefore and hold your ground. Don’t back down from the challenge that presents itself. Overcome it one step at a time.

What mountains are standing in your way today? Have you chosen to succumb to them or to stand and overcome? Find your joy to find your strength, get rid of worry and doubt and then take action to overcome. Greater is He that is in you.