We Have a Better Solution Available

Over the last couple of days, I have been working on my gift of a “Diaper Tricycle” for a baby shower. This extremely practical gift is both fun and adorable. The “tricycle” consists of diapers, receiving blankets, bibs, booties and a bottle. All of these items are useful to a new mom. Wrapping each separately would make a wonderful gift. Put together in this creative way makes it all the more special. Shopping for and finding the perfect mix of safari themed items has been fun. Blankets with a mix of safari animals, bibs and booties with monkeys, a little bit of time and instructions from the Internet, and the “tricycle” quickly took shape.

As I stood back and inspected my final product, I felt as though the handlebars were a little bit droopy. The “trike” was so cute that I was unwilling to allow even this minor flaw. Considering what would help straighten my handlebars, I thought of a package of straws that were tucked away in one of my kitchen drawers. I began to search through those drawers of seldom used, but necessary, items. I did not immediately come across the straws, but I found something much better. In one of these drawers was a package of short, wooden skewers. These have been left over from a finger food party that I had catered. (To be honest I had not thought of these in a long time and did not even remember they were in that drawer.) The skewers were the perfect length to straighten the blanket and bootie handlebars.

How many times have we have situations that arise that require just a little bit of attention. We think things through and come up with our version of the solution. Without ever consulting the Lord we move ahead with what we think will work best. This can often lead to less than stellar results. If we will take a moment to pray and seek the Lord, even on the little things in life, we will often find that He has a much better solution just waiting to be found.

Life outlooks change when we begin to seek God. When Jesus spoke in what is commonly termed “The Sermon on the Mount” He instructed people on a better way. (See Matthew 5:38 – 48) In place of vengeance He taught love. The apostle Paul also taught this when he wrote, “But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all—love].” (1 Corinthians 12:31 AMP) This line precedes what is often referred to as the love chapter. The Scriptures make it clear that love supersedes any logical response to circumstances.

What about the smaller decisions of life? Having walked with God for a while, we may have learned to respond to life’s trials with thanksgiving and forgiveness. We may be, to the best of our ability, following the principles that the Bible teaches. We may attempt to allow love guide us. Yet every day we have choices to make as to the words we will speak in the action we will take. Do we stop to consult the wisdom of our Creator?

God is concerned about every area of life. When we have decisions to make or need help in a situation, the Holy Spirit is there with a ready answer for us. We are told several times in Scripture to call upon the Lord. “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).”(Jeremiah 33:3 AMP) In times of trouble we can call. “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” (Psalm 91:15 AMP) When we need wisdom we can ask. “If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5 AMP)

So we have no good reason to attempt to reason things out on our own. Our way may be adequate, or even good, but God always has a better way. “As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 18:30 AMP) He is also willing to share His way with us.  So why should we struggle in our own strength?

Pray and ask for the Lord’s help in all things. You also can say, “I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]!” (Psalm 57:2 AMP)