Peeling a Banana
Last year was a terrible year from January until December. I faced one challenge after another. By the end of the year, I was looking at the devastation of the year and the piles of medical bills that were the outcome of the year and I was overwhelmed. I prayed for God to help me. Not only did I have a mound of medical bills to pay but, I also had tons of renovations that needed to be completed on our home. It all seemed impossible. I looked at my paycheck and reduced my contributions to retirement so my take-home pay would increase. Then I began praying for God to help me. I needed a solution that was different from what Dave Ramsey preaches because that strategy wasn't working with the large number of bills I had. All I did was spin wheels as I tackled the small bills while my large bills remained. Although I paid the minimum payments on those bills the interest didn't allow me to make a very large dent into those bills. I definitely needed a new strategy. It was time to throw that advice out and begin something different that would help me with my situation. I continued to pray and claimed the Bible text, "My God will meet all your needs according to the glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19.
In a leadership meeting, an analogy was presented. A banana was held with the stem at the top and we were told to open it. The problem though with opening the banana from the stem is that the banana gets smooshed and damaged in the process. But when we turn the banana upside down, suddenly we can open it easily without damaging it. Sometimes when we take our problems to God, this is what God ends up doing for us. We have a problem that we can't see our way through, around or under but God takes that problem turns it upside down just like the banana and suddenly what was impossible becomes possible. This is what happened to me. I took my financial situation to God and began chipping away at my smaller bills and dumping money on my larger bills. I've watched my larger bills grow smaller and smaller and my tiny bills diminish as well. I started the year out with over fifteen medical bills and many large bills. My fifteen medical bills have been paid. I also watched my larger bills grow smaller and smaller and in eight more months, I anticipate that those bills will be paid off. It all happened when God helped me change my perspective, What works for other situations wasn't effective for me. I needed a different approach that God had the answer for.
My prayer is that God will help you today. Whatever the challenge you are facing, I know that God will help you find the solution that is right for you. May you be willing to lay that problem down at His feet so He can help you.