When problems are bigger than you are

As I look at my life, I’m amazed at how many problems God has brought me through. 

I think about the time I was trying to get a long-term residency visa in Japan. 

In Japan, you can get one if you’re second or third generation Japanese, but you do have to prove that you are.  In my case, I had to find the family registry of my grandfather. 

The biggest obstacle to that was that I had no clue where the family registry was.  It was held in the city where my grandfather grew up, but no one in my family knew which city that was. 

I had no idea how we were going to find it with the hundreds of cities that are in Japan.

But as we were looking through some documents my mom had sent me, she included my grandfather’s old passport. 

I don’t know why she sent it, but when my Japanese friend looked at it, he found my grandfather’s hometown written there.  After that, finding the family registry was a piece of cake. 

Soon after that, everything else came together, and I got my visa.

The Israelites too probably had no idea how they were going to take over the land God had promised them.  The nations that were living there were much bigger and stronger than they were. 

But God told them,

You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?”

But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.

You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out.

The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.

Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished.

Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. (Deuteronomy 7:17-21)

God basically told them, “Yes, these nations are stronger than you.  But that’s okay, I’m stronger than these nations.  Don’t be terrified.  Don’t be intimidated. 

“Remember how I’ve delivered you in the past.  I’ll do the same now.  I am a great and awesome God and I’ll take care of the problem for you.” 

And he did.

God says the same thing to us.  When we’re struggling through problems in our lives, when we don’t know what to do, he tells us:

“Yes, this problem may be bigger than you are.  But remember what I’ve done for you in the past.  And know that I’m a great and awesome God that can take care of any problem that comes your way.  Just trust me.”