“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
What do you do when you’ve got a problem–a pretty big one, and you don’t have an immediate solution? “Hey,” you may say, “that’s the story of my life; all I do is face problems.”
Problems come in all sizes, shapes and dimensions; however, almost always people are attached to the problem in one way or another. Someone caused the problem, and you are the one who has to fix it. What do you do?
The first thing that I do is to pray. And I admit often my prayer goes something like this, “Lord, I’ve got a problem–a big one that I don’t know how to handle. Now please help me find the solution quickly so I don’t waste a lot of time on this one; and one more thing: Can you spare me having to learn a lesson? Could we please skip the “tribulation works patience” part just today, and get this thing fixed?”
Does praying help? It helps you, and you are the one who has to solve the problem. Often, in prayer you yield the anger that confronts you, or the frustration of having your day and your plans interrupted by this unscheduled intrusion into your space. Of course, you didn’t ask for this “in-your-face” problem, but none of this came as a surprise to God. He knew that on this day, at this particular hour, you would face this specific situation. So, if nothing comes as a surprise to Him, He also has the answer which you need.
The second step in problem solving is to face the issue and look for all the possible solutions you can see. This often means pausing to think, then jotting down each one. Better reflect on the consequences of each as well. If you are steamed up, you had better delay making a decision. Cool off. In a day or two your temperature will have dropped, and you’ll be thinking more clearly. Chopping off heads, or telling someone what is already obvious, is usually a poor solution. It makes a bad situation worse.
The third step is to do some research and investigate. Pick up the phone and call a trusted friend. Tell the friend what your problem is and ask, “How have you solved this problem when you’ve faced it?” In spite of the fact, you tend to think that you are the only one in the world facing this particular difficulty, you are not. Almost no problem appears for the first time. Problems simply change garb and go from company to company, from person to person. Not much really changes in the world.
Step number four is to focus on a solution. Negotiation and compromise are often necessary to get people pointed the right direction. Count the cost of each solution and weigh the relative merits of each.
Step number five is often unnecessary but it can be a winner. If nothing comes into clear focus, then back off from the problem and come back to fight it another day. Sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees, as the old aphorism goes. Taking a break, putting the problem aside temporarily, isn’t ignoring the difficult, but it does give you renewed perspective, and that may well be part of the reason you have the problem to begin with. Micromanagement–supervising every move an employee makes–can be as counterproductive to progress as giving people no direction or challenge.
Step number six is to learn from your problem. Someone once said that the real test of success is not the size or number of problems that confront you, but whether they are the same ones that you faced last year. We grow through difficulty.
Resource reading: Joshua 3.
