Unsolvable Puzzle – Insurmountable Problem

2 Corinthians 1:9, “indeed, we had a sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust ourselves, but in God who raises the dead”

In continuation of the three words bouncing around in my spirit of materialism, community, and redemption as they relate to prosperity, with prosperity being all sufficiency and abundance for good deeds (2 Cor 9:8) I have to address the unsolvable puzzle.

For me prosperity seems to be the solution to my unsolvable puzzle. And yet prosperity is not THE solution, but rather God and a new enlarged relationship is.

Materialism I have learned is overcome with giving, but what I have also learned is that there is a form of spiritual materialism as well in that materialism is a force drawing anything and everything to the person who is materialistic. In fact, the attraction to material things is no different than the attraction of emotional things or ego driven “things.” Likewise if we as followers of Christ become overly concerned with just ourselves and our individual spiritual “accomplishments” and knowledge then we are spiritual materialistic for lack of a better term. Perhaps a good term might be spiritualcentric. Whatever the term, the spiritual problem is spiritual selfishness and an absence of love. And so God brings us (ME) to this place of having to teach me to focus my spiritual eyes and actions outward in love. To teach me to love by encouraging gift giving to my community. Does this solve my conundrum? No.

So if God is teaching me about prosperity and materialism, community, and redemption, then why as I learn these lessons am I not experiencing the prosperity I honestly seek? Is it because I am more concerned about the prosperity than God? Am I more concerned about the ill effects to my health that the stress causes than knowing God more? Is this some kind of torture or punishment that I am destined to remain in?

In the words of the apostle Paul, may it never be.

God uses the unsolvable puzzles and insurmountable problems in our lives to first and foremost bring us face to face with Him. Throughout biblical history it happens time and time again. With Job, Joseph, David, Moses, the Israelites. Peter and Paul all had their insurmountable problems. But there always is an end. There always is a miracle of God that changes the circumstances, that brings peace, that moves the person to a new place.

Look at Job. He lost possession, family and his own health to what end? Job 42:5, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear (church, books, preachers); but now my eye sees You; (face to face)” All of that was to see the face of God and when he sees the face he repents and prays for his friends. He turns outward to give to his community and the bible says, “The Lord restored the fortunes of Job…” (Job42:10) Job stopped looking in at all He lost but found the face of God which caused him to look out in love and prosperity came. He sought the kingdom of God, and everything else was added.

God allows the unsolvable problem to encounter Him, and so that He can save the day... so that He can move miraculously, so that He can be shown strong in our weakness at the very end of ourselves. The Israelites discovered this leaving Egypt as they had mountains to their right and left, an Egyptian army behind them, and a Red Sea in front. What was between them and their insurmountable problem? God was. He was there as a pillar of fire and smoke desperately wanting relationship with them. They did not die there, but He changed the circumstance in a miraculous way by parting the Red Sea.

Christ had the insurmountable problem of the cross, but the Father redeemed Him with His resurrection. Paul had the messenger of Satan that would not leave but discovered God’s grace was sufficient.

Our unsolvable problems are there so that God can become real in our lives. They are not there for us to sit in them indefinitely twisting and tormenting in the torturous nature of the issue, but rather to grow in a character of Christ out of them.  God is there in the puzzle waiting to be seen, waiting to bring the miracle. But He is also waiting to see our heart. He is waiting to see if we will love in and out of those unsolvable puzzles.

My unsolvable puzzle is the ever present falling short of financial self-sufficiency. As a result of the surface issue I think prosperity is the answer. God says, no Jeff, you want to know about prosperity, then you must learn and understand materialism, community, and redemption first. And so I see with God’s eyes my materialism. I am challenged with God’s prompting to embrace community. And not only embrace but to give to community.

As crazy as it sounds, the unsolvable puzzles, the insurmountable problems, the crises of faith are there for our good to find the end of ourselves and the beginning of God. They are used like Peter said to increase our faith, or moral excellence, or knowledge, or self-control, or perseverance, or godliness, or brotherly kindness, or love… or perhaps all of those traits simultaneously. They are there to show where we are weak and He is strong.

In murmuration I read this from T Austin Sparks, “We shall not be able to raise ourselves any more than we can crucify ourselves, but we must recognize that the Lord’s dealings with us are with that in view. In order to display the power of His resurrection, He will very often have to take the attitude toward us of letting things get well beyond all human power to remedy or save, of allowing things to go so far that there is no other power in all the universe that can do anything whatever to save the situation. He will allow death, disintegration to work, so that nothing, nothing in the universe is of any avail, except the power of His resurrection….And God will allow His Church and its members oft-times to get into such situations as are altogether beyond human help, in order that He may give the display, which is His own display, in which no man has any place to glory.”