Too Many Answers

Key Passage: Acts 17:13-26

Topic: God's Care; Pain/Suffering

When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. (Acts 27:20, ESV)

We live in a society looking for quick fixes. As a result everybody claims to have the cure or solution for something.

Got aches and pains? Take a prescribed combination of medicine and/or natural supplements and you're better. Bored? Take a spin in an off-road SUV. Out of shape? Try "Ten Steps to a New You." Wanna get married? Read one of the thousands of books on "How to Find Mr/Miss Right in Six Months or Less."

With so many answers out there, we'd like to think everything has a solution. We don't like not knowing how to deal with a problem. As soon as trouble strikes, we search out the latest and greatest remedies. If we can't find it, we get frustrated and discouraged.

Yet this was the situation that faced Paul and his shipmates. The ship appeared to be at the mercy of the wind and waves. There was no rescue in sight. Fear and hopelessness crept in because they had no obvious answers to their problem.

But this situation was exactly what it took to realize that God doesn't need earthly means to rescue us. His solutions are way above our temporary fixes. God knows the best way to expose our helplessness is to keep hidden the visible and tangible answers.

Life can be overwhelming at times, especially when you see no way out. But God's specialty is rescue missions. And He passionately wants us to come to Him first instead of going to the Internet, self-help books or any other "answer bank."

God is the answer, and we will find incredible peace when we allow His timing and His wisdom to work through our problems.