God, My Problem is Too Hard For You.

“Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)

Did that headline get your attention? O:-) Okay, so most of us would not say out loud, “God, my problem is too hard for you” with a straight face. If we’ve been a Christian any length of time, we know in our heads that, like Jeremiah praised God, “Nothing is too hard for you.”

Our hearts, on the other hand, often are praying that to God behind our backs. We can find out if they are. One clue is: what are we NOT praying about? What do we take into our own hands? What do we whine and complain or feel down about and don’t brother to confess it to God? The likely reason is we either think he can’t do it or can’t be bothered to do it.

God does prefer to work through his people. If we pray for help, we are likely going to be handed instructions, and they may well be strange or even impossible-sounding. Like I’ve said here before, if you’ve tested the spirit and know it is the voice of God, don’t despair when you feel like your legs are broken and he’s telling you to get up and walk. In the Bible, that type of command from God always is followed by a miracle–one that only comes if we take a deep breath and obey in faith.

Test him on this one. Take to God in prayer the problem you’ve been sitting on, ignoring, or making even bigger thinking it’s all up to you. Remember that his love is steadfast, that you’re his treasured child, and that he desires only what it best for you. Dare to trust God. If you keep at it and refuse to quit and walk away, you won’t regret in eternity having told your heart who’s boss.

Lord, forgive us for thinking in our hearts that our problem was too big for you to handle and that nothing would ever change. We reject the thoughts of our heart and will no longer let them lead us on this. Strengthen us in this, oh lord. Fill our hearts with a child-like trust in you, our heavenly father, to be big enough to fix all that is broken in our lives and bring good and glory for your kingdom. We are asking you to move in our situations. We may feel as hopeless as things looked for the Israelites when they were carried away into Babylon and the land left barren–what other nation had ever returned from the dead and become sovereign again? Yet you promised life would return and houses and fields and vineyards would be bought in Israel again. So it has come to pass, not once, but at least twice. You who restored your people then can restore your people in our individual lives now.  Write this upon our hearts as well as our minds, and keep us in remembrance always. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.