How To Solve Problems (6)

Sixth, you must try to keep your problems in perspective. You’ve probably heard the saying: ‘I grumbled because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.’

In a Peanuts cartoon, Snoopy (the dog) looks in and sees the family sitting around the table enjoying Thanksgiving dinner while he’s outside eating dog food. ‘How about that?’ he thinks. ‘Everybody’s eating turkey today, but because I’m just a dog I get dog food.’ Then he suddenly regains his perspective. ‘Of course, things could be worse—I could have been born a turkey!’

How big or how difficult our problem appears to be is often a matter of perspective. Most difficulties we face are pretty insignificant in the larger scheme of things. When a friend gets cancer or loses a loved one, we’re reminded of just how petty our issues are. Having (or not having) money isn’t the measure of how rich you are. The fact that your phone is not the latest model or you don’t even own a car doesn’t matter compared to receiving news that one of your family is seriously ill.

Realising there are people around you who have much bigger problems than yours brings gratitude and perspective. Jesus told His disciples, ‘These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’