Question 1

How does God view my problems?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 6:26-30“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”1 Peter 5:7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.We can be confident that God cares about us and is concerned about our problems.Psalm 145:14The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.Matthew 10:29-31“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”Matthew 11:28Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”God is not only aware of our problems, he wants to help us solve them. He is with us in all the problems we face.2 Corinthians 4:9We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.Hebrews 4:14-16So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.1 Peter 5:10In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.God will never desert those who follow him. He doesn’t take the day off and forget about us. When we accidentally cut ourselves, we become completely focused on how bad our injury is and on how to stop the bleeding. All we want to do is get rid of the pain. In the same way, our problems and troubles can focus us so much on getting rid of the pain that we neglect God and forget that he has promised to help us in our difficulties. But to abandon us, God would have to cease loving us, and he cannot do that because love is a core element of his eternal character.Exodus 4:10-12But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O  Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”God addresses our particular problems with trustworthy, sure solutions. When we take our problems to God, we can rely on him to deal with them. But expect that he will deal with them his way, which is always in our best interest. Often he uses our problems to help us grow. Sometimes that might lead him to delay the solution for our ultimate benefit.Acts 8:4The believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.Romans 8:28We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.Philippians 1:12-14I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.God may use our problems to lead us in a new direction for a new assignment. The closed door of a problem we face may reveal an open door elsewhere. God can turn our problems into new avenues for his work.

Question 2

How can I anticipate problems and prepare for them?

Accepted Answer

John 16:33“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”1 Peter 4:12-17Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?1 John 3:11-13This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.We cannot know what form our future problems will take or when they will come, but we should not be surprised when they do come. As unexpected as certain problems may be, they are no surprise to God. Deciding not to be surprised and to remain confident in God is great preparation for actually dealing with our problems.Colossians 2:6-7Now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.2 Timothy 1:13-14Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.James 1:2When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.Jude 1:20-21You, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.Realize that problems are inevitable; they will come. So the question is not, “Will problems come?” but “What will I do with problems when they come?” Don’t discount the role others can play in dealing with your problems and be ready to help others with theirs too. Make it your ongoing goal to rely on God whatever you are facing.Ephesians 6:10-12A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.We can best prepare for life’s problems by living a life of faith, love, obedience, and prayer. Then we will be strong with God’s power. If we go onto life’s battlefields already equipped with God’s spiritual armor, we will more quickly and easily win the battles that our problems bring. The heat of battle is no time to be looking for armor or reading a manual about how to use it. Take time to practice using each piece of the armor God’s Spirit has provided.

Question 3

What are some common mistakes I might make in handling problems?

Accepted Answer

Job 10:18-19“‘Why, then, did you deliver me from my mother’s womb? Why didn’t you let me die at birth? It would be as though I had never existed, going directly from the womb to the grave.”Mark 4:35-40As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”We may sometimes doubt God’s work in our lives. When the winds and waves of problems beat against us, it may seem that God is not paying attention. When we begin to doubt God’s work, we begin to doubt God himself, and then we begin to lose our faith. Now we have an even bigger problem. Recognize this emotional progression before it starts to happen. Then go to God in prayer and look for support from believing friends before you are tempted to abandon the very faith that could sustain you.Genesis 16:3So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)Impatience while facing a problem can tempt us to take matters into our own hands. Before making a rash decision, make sure you have talked to God about your problem and that your solution doesn’t violate God’s Word. Being too quick to “solve” your problem may not allow God to work it out in his timing.Genesis 3:12-13The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”Genesis 16:5Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”In our pain, shame, or guilt, we might be tempted to blame others for our problems, even if it was self-inflicted. Blaming others will not resolve the issue, and will only delay getting to the real cause.Numbers 13:25-29After exploring the land for forty days, the men . . . reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country . . . But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!”Focusing on all the negative possibilities related to our problems prevents us from seeing the positive potential of God at work for us. This approach makes molehills into mountains, and giants into monsters. God’s presence in our hearts and minds keeps everything in perspective.Genesis 3:6-10The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”Genesis 16:8The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.At times, we may feel like hiding or running away from our problems, rather than facing them. Our earliest ancestors perfected the approach. Not only does hiding and running have little effect on the problem, those tactics also prevent us from seeing the help God wants to give.

Question 4

How can I best cope with life’s problems?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 56:3-4When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?Psalm 61:2From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,Isaiah 26:3You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.At times our problems are too big for us to handle alone. We need someone bigger, wiser, and stronger to help us. God should be the first and primary source of help that we turn to. It is essential that we trust him and honestly communicate our worries and fears to him in prayer.Psalm 119:24Your laws please me; they give me wise advice.Proverbs 6:20-22My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you.God’s Word is the best source of wise counsel to help us deal with our problems. While we all need to develop an increasing familiarity with God’s Word, we should also identify others with greater experience and biblical wisdom who can speak into our problems from Scripture.Exodus 18:17-18“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself.”Galatians 6:2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.Godly people are a good source of practical assistance and advice in applying principles found in God’s Word.Exodus 9:1“Go back to Pharaoh,” the Lord commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.’”Mark 5:36Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”Acts 16:22-25A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.James 1:2When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.Our problems don’t have to weaken our faith, praise, or joy. If our problems tend to derail our faith, our trust in God is too small. Seeking God’s solutions for our problems should enhance our faith, praise, and joy because we will wait and hope expectantly and then see him intervene for us. When God acts on our behalf, our faith is strengthened.

Question 5

How should I learn and grow from my problems?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 107:43Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.Lamentations 3:19-26The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.The more we see God at work in our problems, the more we learn about his faithful, loving character. The more we learn about what God does, the more we will want to learn about who he is. We should never let the suddenness or severity of a problem make us forget God’s past faithfulness to us.Romans 5:3-4We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.James 1:2-4, 12When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. . . . God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.The more often we endure life’s problems, the more we will see our character strengthened. The more we become the kind of person God desires, the more we can do the kind of work God desires.2 Corinthians 6:3-10We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. . . . We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. . . . We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. . . . We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. . . . Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.The more we endure life’s problems, the more we learn what is most important in life. The more we realize what is most important, the more we will put the right things first.2 Corinthians 1:8-10We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.Philippians 4:4, 12-13Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! . . . I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.The more we endure life’s problems with God’s help, the more we see God as the source of our strength. The more we realize God is the source of our strength, the more we will rely on him to see us through all of life’s problems. And as we grow in our faith, others will benefit from what we have learned.

Question 6

How can I help others in the midst of their problems?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 9:35-36Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.2 Corinthians 1:3-7God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.Philippians 4:14You have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.Hebrews 13:1-2Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!1 Peter 4:8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.1 John 3:11This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.We can genuinely love others with our actions, our emotions, our attitudes, our words, and our presence. Love resolves a thousand problems and prevents a thousand more. This is particularly true as we experience God’s help and comfort in and through all our problems.Romans 15:1-4We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.Galatians 6:2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.God works through others to show comfort and concern, to restore and refresh, to correct and challenge. While everyone has burdens to bear, one of the great advantages of being part of God’s family is that we do not have to bear them alone. And we can always be open to helping others bear their burdens.

Question 7

What do I do when problems overwhelm me?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 27:1The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?Problems tend to turn our focus away from God and toward the troubles that overwhelm us. We need to learn to use our problems as opportunities to rely on the Lord for his protection, his guidance, and his saving power. As we do this, our faith in him will grow.Psalm 145:14The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.It is hard to help people who don’t want to be helped. God sees the fallen and never passes them by, but they need to want his help. When we feel like we can’t go another step, we need to look up and ask God for help. We need to let him shoulder our loads, ease our burdens, and heal our pain.Psalm 42:5-6Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you.Spiritual amnesia robs us of the comfort and hope we long for. Remember God’s mercy. He has been faithful in the past and will be faithful in the future. Remembering what God has done for us ignites the fire of hope; giving God praise drives away the darkness of despair.

Question 8

What are some ways God cares for me in times of trouble?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 23:1-4The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.If we allow God to shepherd us during the ordinary times of life, it will be easier to trust him in the days of darkness and trouble. If we wait until we desperately need God before we follow him as shepherd, he will feel like a stranger to us. By looking for his care every day, our faith will be strong during the times when we desperately need him.Psalm 91:11He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.Hebrews 1:14Angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.In addition to other sources of help, God sends his mighty angels to watch over us. Though we rarely see them, we can trust God’s Word that they are watching out for us.2 Corinthians 4:8-10We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.God shows his care by his constant presence in our lives. At the very moment of our greatest troubles or deepest hurts, God is already there taking care of us, tending to our wounds and comforting our fears. Will you let him care for you, or will you push him away?John 16:33“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”1 Peter 1:4We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.Perhaps the best way God cares for us in times of trouble is to guarantee a future and a place where all our problems will end. No matter what the future of this earth holds, we can be sure that heaven will be perfectly free of problems and worries.