Facing problems like a MAN

By Pastor Olinto
24 Feb 2010

As you know I come from South America, and very proudly so from Brazil. To be more specific, from the Southeast part of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro City.

Anyways, in my culture the ‘macho’ figure is very predominant. Therefore, sometimes in problem solving, patience runs thin and things can get out of control and for some people it is not unusual to roll up their sleeves and to get physical. Fortunately I come from a family that always believed in the system (whether it would work or not), because as Christians ultimately we trust that God would fight our fighting for us. So as a young man coming into mature life I learned to use problem solving and conflict management. I learned the ability to be cautious and prudent in dealing with things. So, I’m sorry to disappoint, but not much exciting fighting or things of that nature occured in my youth. Surely this is not very ‘macho’ for the South American culture but it has worked well for me.

Recently at our Family Service we’ve been studying about how to live a worry free life. It has been encouraging to be reminded that the Word of God does exhort us to not be worried and at the same time presenting promises to us on being secure in the Lord. In the Gospel of Matthew 6:34 we are clearly instructed by the Lord not to be worried about tomorrow and in Isaiah 41:10 for example, we are assured of His protection in times of need - “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.

The question though is, how do we reconcile the teachings in the Scriptures regarding suffering and the ones on not to be worried?

In the Gospel of John 16:33, for instance, Jesus is saying, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

In James 1:2 we are also reminded by the Apostle that we should, “consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”

How can it be possible? If we are guaranteed to have problems in life, can we still be able to live a life without worries? Is there a contradiction or a very relevant lesson to be learned which is hidden in the context?

In both examples I have given, Jesus affirms, “in the World you will have tribulations” and James states “…Whenever you face trials…”. Please note that it’s not ‘IF’ but ‘whenever’. You can clearly see the degree of certainty regarding difficulties coming our way in our lifetime.

It’s true that in the world we’re going to face lots of challenges but those are actually good tools to help us to exercise our knowledge of God’s sovereignty over our lives. Let us take every opportunity to explore the wonderful ways the Lord has laid down before us, not to get troubled but instead, in trouble to be victorious.

I believe ultimately the greater lesson to be learned is not how to skip problems in life but rather how to trust the Lord when they come our way or when we find ourselves right in the midst of complex circumstances and trials.

As 21st Century men, despite all the resources and services at our disposal to assist us in handling difficult issues in life, we should not underestimate the simple but powerful tool that prayer is. We need to develop a prayer lifestyle, tailor made by us to fit our very own pace of life. The paradigm that praying is a sign of weakness needs to be broken. On the very contrary, to pray about everything in your life is to be in control. It is to trust in God’s power for everything.

What I call “The Gospel of a Trouble Free Life” or “The TROUBLE FREE GOSPEL” will not pass the test of time because sooner or later we are going to face our own share of small and big difficulties in life. Problems are a reality of life. How we deal with them, nevertheless, reflects how close our walking with God is.

Our daily lives naturally will bring to us unrequested portions of frustration and anxiety. It’s a fact of life, period. But to be free from anxiety we need to practice talking to God everyday. We need to put into practice 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.”. It so simple, isn’t it?

We men, need to learn to face problems like a man, that is “to trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones”. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

If we do it God will fulfill His promise to us as said by Isaiah the Prophet: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

It is possible to live a Worry Free Life if we face each day and every single problem like a man, like a real, godly man.

Have a wonderful day ahead of you!