My pool is leaking. Water is expensive. Fortunately, I collected 40 000 liters in tanks. However, that water is for the garden’s drip system, and I know if I pump water into the pool now and then, I won’t make it through the summer. And it will cost a fortune to keep the garden wet with municipal water.  

The insurance sends people to dig up the leak. They arrive with the right equipment and test for a few hours. I’m quite impressed with everything they do and how quickly they find the leak. 

During my annual medical examination, it was evident that the iron in my blood was way too high. I joked and told my doctor friend it was probably high because I gnawed on a train track at night. 

I’m not too mad about a needle and turned away when he pushed one into my arm to drain some blood. It was like a car’s oil being drained. Grateful that the ordeal was over, I wanted to jump up, but my friend pushed me back. 

He said I had to rest first, otherwise I would faint. I felt a bit light-headed and waited for my body to get used to less blood. 

Why am I telling these stories? When you have a problem, you must take it to the right person to examine it and find a solution. Both of the above have to do with liquids. Water and blood.  

If I had taken the problem with the pool leak to my doctor friend, he would’ve thrown his hands in the air. “No, man. I know nothing about pool problems. You’ll have to get hold of a plumber. My equipment won’t work underground!” 

I know a plumber wouldn’t have known much about pushing needles into veins and draining blood. The saying, horses for courses, makes quite a lot of sense here. 

When a car has a mechanical problem, we take it to a mechanic. If my head goes a bit haywire, I make an appointment with a psychologist. If I want to change direction, I call my friend who is a life coach. Each master in their field, trained to understand and give directions. 

When life presses down on me and drives me to the point of tears and there is no one left to help me, where do I go? Who can help me if I’ve done everything humanly possible, but my legs still feel too weak to hold everything up? 

This is the answer: God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. 

God made us. He knows exactly how we should look, how we should work, and how we should live. When things hurt somewhere along the way and are out of balance, God knows how to fix them. 

When you are struggling, when the answers keep eluding you, and the solutions to all your problems are not clear, take them to God. He knows. He cares and will stand by you. Remember: He loves you so much that He was willing to let His Son hang on a cross, so that you don’t have to pay for your sins yourself. He won’t drop you now, for sure! 

Scripture
1 Peter 5:4-7

Reflection
Where do your problems lie?
Have you done everything possible?
Have you laid the impossible at God’s feet? 

Prayer
Father, I can’t cope anymore, but I know You can. Amen.