Sunday 6 July 2008

How Big Is Your Problem?


The artist, Graham Braddock, tells this story:

Suddenly he was looking down on his studio. He could see his own body lying on the floor. Then he was further up, looking down on his suburb. He continued to mount higher, he could see the whole city, the whole country, the whole Earth. As he watched, Earth shrank to a tiny dot in the velvet vastness of the Universe. Then a voice spoke... “How big is your problem?”
With that he was back in his own body; the same man, but with a new frame of reference.
The overwhelming problems that had driven him to fast and pray and seek after God, didn’t look the same any more. Not long after, the artist friend who told me this story became a Christian. The story stuck in my mind. Years later, I came up with this painting.




You see, you shouldn't be telling God how big the problem is.
You should be telling the problem how big God is.


And I should know!

21 comments:

Working Mum said...

Good story. Real assembly stuff!

Not having found God yet (see, hedging my bets there) I have a mantra for when things get tough "Nobody's ill, nobody's dying" Although what I'll do when someone is I don't know. Maybe find God?

Anonymous said...

I have couple of mantras.

"It's not the end of the world" and "Life's too short"

I found God last year when my brother attempted suicide...


Misslionheart♥

Daryl said...

Not very godly myself but I do think this is a wonderful mantra.. could be applied to all sorts of things ... reminds of 'when things get tough, the tough get going' .. OR stop whining and do something about it...

:-Daryl

Renae said...

There are so many beautiful verses in scripture regarding strength and courage. But one of the simplest, and one of my favorites, is this:

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Lovely picture. Who is the artist? I couldn't read the name.

Sarah - Kala said...

Awesome post! I needed this shot in the arm every day I was a teenager!! I'll take today's booster, though. I'm off to Mass. Bless you, MOTL!! {{{hugs}}}

gigi said...

Amen, Sister!

Akelamalu said...

Good story.

There's no problem too big that it can't be sorted, eventually. :)

Jeni said...

Very good post. I just got home from church here myself and the lay pastor's sermon today was about regardless how "tired" we are, if we take on Christ's yoke, our lives and the load we carry lighten up with His presence. Good points in your post and the sermon today Have a great Sunday. Peace.

Maggie May said...

Here here! That was an awesome thing to happen though. I am interested to read about "near death " experiences too!

Suburbia said...

I'm with working mum!

scrappysue said...

graham braddock has come to our girls' school several times. he's a pretty insightful guy.

RiverPoet said...

Interesting that I became a Christian (again) about a year after my near death experience. The world holds no sway once you've felt that incredible, unconditional, complete love all around you.

Peace - D

Kit said...

Lovely - and certainly puts things into perspective.

Amrita said...

Praise God for that testimony Jackie. Our God is an aesome God

Bruno LoGreco said...

Excellent post!
For the non-christians but yet spiritual, the universe is equal to god. :)

Lavinia said...

Amen, amen, amen! I love this! Can I please have your permission to post the last 2 lines in my blog (I will acknowledge and link back to you)???

I am a new visitor here, from Dotterel's blog, and I have to tell you this post is incredible...

Cath said...

That is so true. If we stopped looking at the BIG problems we had then we might see what else is going on and do what we're meant to do - tell the world about God and his Kingdom!

Great post.

Nana Trish is Living the Dream said...

Lavinia sent me over and I must say I agree with her this is an excellent blog. I do have a relationship with God and He is so wonderful! I loved your saying. You made me laugh with the picture taking thing in the next post. Aren't kids so fun? I only had one and I see now all these years later that there was a reason. :)

Natalie said...

great post as all the others have said!

Ally Jay said...

What a beautiful way of showing us God's perspective. It makes things so much easier to handle when we remember that nothing is too big for Him.

George said...

'I am interested to read about "near death" experiences too', be careful Maggie May - you could easily get suckered in by so much New Age stuff out there, weird Yoga, good 'ole Lobsang Rampa and his cranky books, silver chords, astral travel, alien abductions, crop circles, yawn, yawn, etc, etc..... when really ALL you really need to know is in the scriptures, just study them.