When my friend recently texted me to ask “How’s it going?” I wrote an eight-line reply with a long list of the challenges and obstacles I’m navigating. It wasn’t until a few minutes had passed that my answer to that question was a list of my problems.
I struggle with being overly responsible and stressing out when I cannot find an answer to a problem. Perhaps you can relate to this struggle. Do you ever find it difficult to fall asleep at night because of anxiety and intrusive thoughts over what is unresolved in your life? Feel overwhelmed with things to do and incomplete projects?
Me too! I spent most of the holiday season last year meditating on Matthew 11:28-30. This beloved passage is an encouraging word to the weary and those plagued by problems. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”
That verse reminded me of the wisdom of my friend, Ann, who passed away in 2011. Several years after she died, I found a Post-it note in a book of hers that I inherited. One of the comments on the book was “You need to learn what are God’s problems.”
That piece of wisdom is the heartbeat of Maverick City Music’s song, “God Problems.”
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The song opens with the line “There's just some problems only God can fix” and soon after continues with “There's just some battles (hey) flesh and blood can't win, There'll be some moments that just don't make sense.”
One source of my weariness and anxiety is my inability to discern the difference between problems God wants me to solve and problems only He can fix. When faced with problems, on far too many occasions, I function as if there is no God - there is only me. Author and pastor Craig Groeschel refers to this as “Christian Atheism” - where we believe God exists but we live as if He doesn’t.
Maverick City taps into rich truths from the Old Testament to remind us of why we can trust God to solve God's problems. Quoting Zechariah 4, written during the rebuilding of the temple by Zerubbabel, the band samples lines from a famous passage. “‘This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.“ God’s spirit is more than adequate to conquer our problems.
Later, Maverick City draws on Proverbs 18:10. “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.” Other translations describe the name of the LORD as a “strong tower.” When our problems overwhelm us, God invites us to run to Him and trust Him with what makes us feel unsafe.
Finally, in Isaiah 54, God tells His people about the bright future Jerusalem can look forward to and one day enjoy. He offers His character as the guarantee behind that promise. “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord.” Often, our problems feel like weapons pointed our way. God, however, promises us that those weapons will not succeed against His servants.
In a statement released when “God Problems” dropped, Maverick City Music shared their hopes for this song. “Our prayer is that this song will continually encourage and serve as a reminder that the battle belongs to God!”
One member of Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore, went even deeper in talking about “God Problems.” He said, “Trusting God means not always understanding the how, but knowing that He can and is faithful to do all that He said He would do…Whatever battle you’re facing right now, surrender it to Him and watch what He will do!”
This invitation is echoed in the song, when Moore sings, “I've seen a breakthrough that I can't explain, I found a healing hidden in my pain, I know a dead man that once robbed the grave, I've seen some breakthroughs, and I will again.”
My hunch is that you’re facing a problem or you’re about to face one. More than likely, it won’t be a little one. As you continue forward in this current battle, or one shows up uninvited to surprise you, I want to encourage you to accept God’s invitation expressed in “God problems.”
Trust God to be faithful to His word. Stop trying to take God’s place and solve problems in your strength. Surrender your problem to God. Watch Him move with power in your life. Let go and rest while He solves problems He never intended for you to fix. A breakthrough is coming!
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps you laugh, challenges you to think, and invites you to grow. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and watches lots of football with his wife and three kids. You can learn more about Scott’s new free resource, The Gratitude Muscle Challenge, at scottsavagelive.com
