“Problems We Cannot Fix”
“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." John 16:33.
* I truly wish that all problems in this world would be fixable… but they aren’t! (At least not from our perspective and based on what we can do.) Think about it... Can you fix all the broken hearts? Can you go back and fix the mistakes that changed the course of life?
* Then there are problems all over the world – poverty, war, famine, floods, illnesses... I am not saying that it is a waste of time to be actively engaged in making things better. On the contrary, there are many things we can improve and solve if we work together as a church or even as a community. But the fact is… we need to accept the fact that we live in a broken world and that not everything can and will be made alright here.
* Activists choose to believe in the ability to make ALL things better, but life is full of things you and I cannot fix, no matter how well-intentioned we are. Others choose to doubt, trying to make sure they won’t be hurt by disappointment, brokenness… whatever it is that is threatening them.
* We can easily get addicted to helping, thinking we can fix all problems and all people. Well, we ARE called to be there for people and “carry each other’s burden” as Paul tells the believers in Galatia, but you and I are NOT called to be the saviors of the world… SOMEBODY else already has that job and even the Savior will not make everything well in this life. He is the One who said we will have problems!
* Imagine your own problems now… Think about your life… each year as a large book on a shelf. There are some years of your life you would happily relive over and over because of how precious, amazing, or good it felt. There were big highs and positive emotions, but there also years that you would rather forget. Remember… the ones filled with hurt, mistakes, dark times and loss.
* Often we are tempted to take the years of hardship, those reminders of pain off the shelf and stuff them away somewhere where they cannot be found again. But if we are actively trying to live in the full grace of God, we begin to learn how to accept all of it, even the events we don’t like. Then, and only then are we able to develop the ability to actually see all of it together as God’s presence in our lives and His handwriting in our life.
* Therefore, be an agent of change in your life and in the life of others, but know the difference between fixing what can be fixed and embracing what cannot be helped. We all have those things in life that simply will not ever be solved (Only in eternity…).
* What makes life much better is to face the truth. When we know our weaknesses and problems and deal with them in dignity, we will also be able to see others in the light of the Gospel, where we, and others face problems, but we are not so focused on them that we forget eternity and the perfection promised to us by Jesus Christ for the future. If we do accept every unsolvable trouble and tribulation in our life, then we will start accepting others as they are. When we live out of the completeness of our own life, we inspire others to embrace theirs.
* Only if you accept your life as it is presented to you will you be able to help others embrace their life as well. We are often in a place where words and actions can have a powerful impact on another person’s life. We often struggle with knowing what to say or do when a friend is facing divorce, a death of a loved one, job loss, infertility, illness, and other tough issues of life.
* So what can be done about the things you and I can’t fix? We will talk more about that next week. Have a great week!
Rev. Don Sonntag
“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." John 16:33.
* I truly wish that all problems in this world would be fixable… but they aren’t! (At least not from our perspective and based on what we can do.) Think about it... Can you fix all the broken hearts? Can you go back and fix the mistakes that changed the course of life?
* Then there are problems all over the world – poverty, war, famine, floods, illnesses... I am not saying that it is a waste of time to be actively engaged in making things better. On the contrary, there are many things we can improve and solve if we work together as a church or even as a community. But the fact is… we need to accept the fact that we live in a broken world and that not everything can and will be made alright here.
* Activists choose to believe in the ability to make ALL things better, but life is full of things you and I cannot fix, no matter how well-intentioned we are. Others choose to doubt, trying to make sure they won’t be hurt by disappointment, brokenness… whatever it is that is threatening them.
* We can easily get addicted to helping, thinking we can fix all problems and all people. Well, we ARE called to be there for people and “carry each other’s burden” as Paul tells the believers in Galatia, but you and I are NOT called to be the saviors of the world… SOMEBODY else already has that job and even the Savior will not make everything well in this life. He is the One who said we will have problems!
* Imagine your own problems now… Think about your life… each year as a large book on a shelf. There are some years of your life you would happily relive over and over because of how precious, amazing, or good it felt. There were big highs and positive emotions, but there also years that you would rather forget. Remember… the ones filled with hurt, mistakes, dark times and loss.
* Often we are tempted to take the years of hardship, those reminders of pain off the shelf and stuff them away somewhere where they cannot be found again. But if we are actively trying to live in the full grace of God, we begin to learn how to accept all of it, even the events we don’t like. Then, and only then are we able to develop the ability to actually see all of it together as God’s presence in our lives and His handwriting in our life.
* Therefore, be an agent of change in your life and in the life of others, but know the difference between fixing what can be fixed and embracing what cannot be helped. We all have those things in life that simply will not ever be solved (Only in eternity…).
* What makes life much better is to face the truth. When we know our weaknesses and problems and deal with them in dignity, we will also be able to see others in the light of the Gospel, where we, and others face problems, but we are not so focused on them that we forget eternity and the perfection promised to us by Jesus Christ for the future. If we do accept every unsolvable trouble and tribulation in our life, then we will start accepting others as they are. When we live out of the completeness of our own life, we inspire others to embrace theirs.
* Only if you accept your life as it is presented to you will you be able to help others embrace their life as well. We are often in a place where words and actions can have a powerful impact on another person’s life. We often struggle with knowing what to say or do when a friend is facing divorce, a death of a loved one, job loss, infertility, illness, and other tough issues of life.
* So what can be done about the things you and I can’t fix? We will talk more about that next week. Have a great week!
Rev. Don Sonntag