We all face challenges in the course of life. Sometimes we can think that our challenges are far greater than what others go through, but this is not the case. It is said that you never know what another person is going through until you have walked a mile in their shoes. Each challenge presents us with a unique opportunity to react or respond. Reaction may come easy to us because it is our automated, unrestrained response to something. Literally reaction means to meet one action with another action. I have discovered that two wrongs never make a right and this wrong (reaction) never undoes whatever caused it in the first place. Responding is a different approach. Responding flows out of the concept of the word responsibility. It means we pause for a moment, and we consider and deliberately think about the situation and how we should best respond. It is in these moments or these split-seconds that we can choose a better way. The nation of Israel reacted to their situation by calling it what it was, bitter. They then become angry, frustrated and demanding. In one word they became 'ugly'. Challenges are tests we need to pass. If we will pause long enough to not react, we may just discover that there is an answer, and we may be able to see God's hand in everything and see how He will work on our behalf.

THERE IS ALWAYS AN ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM
There is no problem for which there is no answer. I remember as a child my parents were friends with a man who was a scientist. I wanted to know what is the highest number a person could count to. I was convinced, as a little boy, that numbers stopped somewhere. So I asked this man because I was sure he would know the answer. He answered in a way I would not have imagined. He said that you could never reach that point, because whatever number you reached you would always be able to add one more. Sometimes we can think that we have reached the end of the road or that there are no more alternatives, options or solutions, but with God in our lives, anything can happen, even the ridiculous. Even when, from a human perspective, there seems to be no outcome, God can take that and turn it into something positive. It is for this reason that we should not write anything or anyone off, because the last word has not been spoken, and something can always be added that can change things.

Exodus 15:25'So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.'

Who would have thought that a random piece of useless wood could change the whole situation. With God, there is always an answer for every problem.

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