A Solution Worth Seeing

My wheelchair has hill brakes, and while they are nice to have in the event of going down a hill, they can be a hindrance when used otherwise. One of my hill brakes was pushed down this time, and while it was less than ideal, it wasn't horrible. It wasn't as easy to do as when it was off, but I could go forward, turn, and even back up, if I pulled hard enough. In this state, I went over to talk to my sister. After awhile, I tried to go in reverse as before, but didn't get anywhere, although I will say that I didn't try very hard.

 There was a broom close by, and it occurred to me that I could attempt to solve my predicament with that. I went to it, although at first Kadri, who was washing dishes at the sink, wondered what I was doing. Using the broom handle, I pulled up the hill brake and once again enjoyed easy mobility! Praise the Lord! What's more, I was open to that thought.

What would have happened if I had chosen to sit there and be unhappy about my increased limitations, or if I had been content, even, with less than I could have had? As far as being unhappy goes, well, I would have made it worse for my sister in some way, and for me. That would have accomplished nothing. Being content with less than I could have had means that I wouldn't have had freedom so soon; that I wouldn't have had the joy of problem solving; that I wouldn't have had an experience to share with someone and that I wouldn't have been able to show them what God did for me.

Humans sometimes go through unpleasant situations where the key to freedom is right in front of them, and they don't see it. We can already see some of what may have been had I not seen the answer to my problem in the form of a broom handle. We must train ourselves to be alert to problem-solvers around us in every situation. It is so easy to want the solutions to come to us without any effort on our part, like they do at times, but that can't always be. While we are not to trust in ourselves, we are to use the brains God gave us to think, while staying in line with His will.

 There are some solutions to problems that aren't really solutions at all, to be sure. For instance, stealing food to satisfy hunger is not a real solution, for it only adds to the problem. We shouldn't try things like that, then; but we also shouldn't snub a good solution because we don't like it. Some people will not see the Bible as the greatest solution of all, because it means they must change somehow.  Yes, in the process of fixing problems, there is change, and sometimes that change isn't pleasant at first; but later on, we are glad we fixed the issue, even with the trouble in the meantime. We see that it was worth it.

Doing what the Bible says is even more worth it because when we view it further on in life's journey, we see that the so-called trouble (sacrificing for Jesus) wasn't trouble at all. Jesus loves us with a pure love, and wants our complete happiness; so He asks us to give Him only what would keep us from experiencing that. Remember what may have happened if I hadn't seen the help in the broom. When it comes to the Bible, the results are not what might be or may be, but what will certainly be. If we never try His way; if we sit there and complain about what He requires; if we have started and don't press on, forgetting the end of the journey, we will never experience true freedom. It means an unhappier existence while living, followed by death; and while death is a mercy to the wicked, it will certainly not be the best that they could have had! More than the broom, God's way is a solution worth seeing.

~Jean