Fixing Your Problems

How do you fix your spiritual problems? It is sort of a trick question, because you have to know what problems are spiritual and which ones are not. If you have a problem with a personal relationship, is it spiritual? If you have a problem sleeping, is it spiritual? If you have a problem with your washing machine is it spiritual? What if I told you that each of these problems is spiritual in a certain sense and to a different degree?

Yet, because so many people today (even Catholics), have an entirely secular and worldly view of things, they rarely see the spiritual dimension of the things they are experiencing. And even if it was told to them, many would think it is a silly misunderstanding. This leads to people choosing non-spiritual solutions for spiritual problems. I am not saying that you can fix your car by reading a Bible passage, but I am saying that we all too often treat the truths of God as only applying to one small area of our lives. In reality, the Word of God has something to say to everything we experience.

So, I often hear about people who are going through various kinds of turmoil (like depression), and they look for a solution that is only physical (like seeking a drug to help them); they do not look first to God for help. Sadly, although depression can and does have physical dimensions, it is largely a spiritual issue. At times like this, I feel like I am an auto mechanic who is watching people try to fix their cars using nail guns and chain saws. If you use the wrong tools for the job, you are not likely going to fix the problem. Let us all seek to change how we cope with challenges. Let us give God the first thought, rather than the last, when it comes to dealing with the problems of life. Let us rethink our entire view of the world.