It’s 3 a.m. You can’t get back to sleep. That “issue” keeps invading your mind. You’ve prayed, given it to the Lord, chosen to trust Him, yet your mind is bombarded with the replay of that negative situation or a myriad of what if’s. “Am I sinning?” now runs through your mind, adding to your pain. What’s a child of the King to do?
When you are besieged with a relentless problem here are several things you that will help you.
Understand that God understands.
He is well aware of each of your weaknesses and frailties. He knows what makes you tick—He made you.
For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. (Ps 103:14)
God wants you to bring those pressing issues to Him.
God cares and will not cast you out, no matter how many times you take a matter to Him. I am convinced that it pleases Him when we take our worries and concerns to Him.
The resurfacing is not necessarily a sin.
Your inability to stop thinking about something may be due to a lack of trust in God, but maybe not. If it is, then tell the Father you are sorry for not trusting Him. Ask Him to help you not worry (= repentance). Then accept His forgiveness, and refuse to allow guilt to add to your distress.
However, the constant resurfacing of an issue could be due other reasons:
- It’s part of the human condition. If the situation is unresolved and important, of course it’s going to keep coming up. Pressing matters do that. We want and need answers/direction. Don’t beat yourself up for that! Self-flagellation never accomplishes anything.
- God Himself could be bringing up the matter so that you will face and deal with it. Just be sure to include Him as you process it.
- Perhaps it’s God’s way to help you get to the root cause of a besetting sin.
- Maybe He’s burdening your heart to pray for the other person(s) involved in the situation.
- Possibly He’s continually bringing it up because you need to do something.
- God may simply be drawing you closer to Him, reminding you of your desperate need of His divine assistance.
Taking our problems to God isn’t meant to be a onetime event. “Here God. I give it to You. Now wave your magic wand and make it go away!” God doesn’t expect you to come to terms with difficulties immediately. Recall that even Jesus agonized in the garden before His crucifixion.
I wish I had understood these things when I was a younger Christian. I would have saved myself from countless hours of pain and discouragement. Now I know better. And so do you!
Go to your Father with those nagging problems. Confess as needed, plead for His peace, love, comfort, and guidance—whatever you need. He will give it to you, His precious daughter, if you ask for it sincerely desiring to obey. Thank Him for His mercy and patience as you work together with Him in this “impossible” situation. He will not be angry or impatient with you as you go to Him as a needy, helpless child again and again and again. As long as it takes.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Mat 11:18)
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New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.