What is God telling you with the problems He permits in your life?  The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them.  Unfortunately most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives.  They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life.

1.  God uses problems to DIRECT you.  Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get
     you moving.  Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change.  Is
     God trying to get your attention?  "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us
     change our ways," Proverbs 20:30 (GN)
2.  God uses problems to INSPECT you.  People are like tea bags...if you want to know
     what's inside them, just drop them into hot water!  Has God ever tested your faith with
     a problem?  What do problems reveal about you?  "When you have many kinds of
     troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith,
     and this will give you patience."  James 1:2-3 (NCV)
3.  God uses problems to CORRECT you.  Some lessons we learn only through pain and
     failure.  It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove.  But
     you probably learned by being burned.  Sometimes we only learn the value of something
     ...health, money, a relationship.  By losing it.  "...It was the best thing that could have
     happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."  Psalm 119:71-72 (LB)
4.  God uses problems to PROTECT you.  A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it
     prevents you from being harmed by something more serious.  Last year a friend was
     fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do.  His
     unemployment was a problem-but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison
     a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered.  "You intended to
     harm me, but God intended it for good..."  Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
5.  God uses problems to PERFECT you.  Problems, when responded to correctly, are
     character builders.  God is far more interested in your character than your comfort.
     Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to
     take with you into eternity.  "We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us
     learn to be patient.  And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us
     trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and
     steady."  Romans 5:3-4 (LB)

Here's the point:  God is at work in your life-even when you do not recognize it or understand it.  But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.  Print this out and read this regularly.  Some of you could probably use this right now!

"YOU ARE BLESSED...THERE'S NO NEED TO BE STRESSED!"
(I wanted to leave this part out, but it is true I just can not remember it sometimes when I need it most.)