3 Simple Steps for Facing the Things You Don’t Want to Face

Most of us, most of the time, have at least one 800 pound gorilla in our lives that we wish would just magically disappear. Problem is, he never does. The more we apply our tried and proven technique of proactive procrastination in not dealing with him, the more he gets us down and the worse things get.

So … how can you face the things that you just don’t want to face, in a powerful, godly and effective way? Here are 3 simple steps …

Step 1 – Power

The closer something is, the bigger it seems … which is why the 800 pound gorilla of a problem or dilemma that you’re facing in your life, seems so much bigger than God. The answer isn’t taking on the gorilla. The answer is getting closer to God.

The moment we do that, it cuts the gorilla back down to size.

You and I know that God is much, much … much bigger than the gorilla. It just doesn’t feel like it, when we’re closer to the gorilla than we are to God.

Do you and I need power to deal with the impossible situations that seem to come your way much more often than we’d like? Sure we do. We need the infinite power of the infinitely powerful God who loves us more than words can ever say. The only place I know to get that sort of power, is when I’m up close to God.

And the way to get close to Him is to spend much time in prayer  – with the door closed, and the Book open. That’s where He speaks to us. That’s where He calms our fears. That’s where He fills us with the peace that surpasses all understanding.

We should never face insurmountable problems alone – they’re bound to tear us apart. We can always face them with the power of God – the very same power that raised Christ from the dead.

That’s the first thing. Power.  The Bible tells us we already have more than enough – what we now need to do is to lay hold of it.

Step 2 – Wisdom

Wisdom is more valuable than all the riches of this world. At least, that’s God’s take on things. Our problem is that all too often, we turn to God for His wisdom as a last resort, when all along we should have been storing up the riches of God’s wisdom in our heart, so that we can be ready when that 800 pound gorilla arrives to tear us apart.

If you’re not going through a crisis at the moment, then what you should be doing NOW, is storing up the riches of God’s wisdom into your life so that you’re ready for the next crisis.  That’s exactly what God’s Word says. And it’s the best advice that you can ever have.  Get ready, the gorilla’s on his way!!

But even if you haven’t been doing that, and the gorilla’s already in the room, my counsel to you is to go to God’s Word and seek His counsel. Because more often than not His wisdom is counter-intuitive. It’s not obvious. If you don’t seek it out deliberately, you’ll miss it:

Turn the other cheek …. go the extra mile … pray for your enemy … have faith … take up your cross …

The Bible is jam-packed full of counter-intuitive wisdom from God; a wisdom that’s not always about winning each battle along the way.

Think about it, if we want God’s power to come into play then we’re going to need to do it God’s way, aren’t we?

The only place to discover what that is, is in the Bible, in prayer, guided by His Spirit and His Word.

Step 3 – Actions & Outcomes

It takes a lot of wisdom to know when to act and when not to act. Have you noticed that? In my experience, in constantly bringing my “gorillas” before God in prayer, He leads me … sometimes to do nothing, other times to act. It’s a wonderful thing.

But the outcome isn’t always what we expect – we always expect to win. God often has quite a different plan.

So as you step out in the power of God, by the wisdom of God …. leave the outcome to God. 

He’s not one to make every post a winner in the way we might hope. He’s much more interested in seeing his plans fulfilled. Sometimes that means that we lose, in order for God to win.

But what we do know is that whatever the outcome, it will be for good.