Do You Have Problems?

“One day, shortly after I graduated from college, a young reporter from a Christian magazine came to interview my dad. “Dr. Bright,” he said, “could you share a problem you face that the average Joe Christian can relate to?”

“I don’t have any problems,” my dad replied with quiet confidence. The reporter responded, “Dr. Bright, don’t over-spriritualize. We all have problems.” Suppressing his frustrations the reporter repeated the question several different ways, always receiving the same response.
Finally, my dad looked him directly in the eye and said, “Young man, you need to understand something. I am a slave to Jesus. It is not the slave’s responsibility to be successful, but simply to do what the Master asks. When you understand this, you will realize you don’t have problems. All that’s left are opportunities to see the Master work.”

The true genius of Bill Bright was his view of God.

Bam! That was the slap to the forehead I got when I read this. This was in the first 4 pages of the book My Life is Not My Own by Bill Bright. I think that if I just read those few words I would have enough to challenge me for a lifetime. I’m definitely a glass half-empty kinda girl. I automatically see all the hard things in life before the good. I work really hard to change this and ask God to make it different all the time. And believe me, right now I have a large list of “problems,” or so I thought. I guess what I have is just a lengthy list of opportunities; Opportunities for me to see God work, for Him to do what He does best and be glorified.

Brad Bright said he asks himself two questions whenever a “problem” comes along: First, Am I going to choose to believe this is a problem, or an opportunity to see God work? If I’m still struggling to believe that it is truly and “opportunity,” then I ask myself this follow-up question: What attribute of God am I struggling to believe is true in this situation?

What about you? Do you live life like it’s problem-free and full of opportunity to see God work?

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