I KNOW HOW TO FIX IT
An old Model T Ford sputtered and eventually stalled on the side of the road. The frustrated owner tinkered with it for hours, to no avail. Then a limousine pulled up behind him, and an elderly gentleman stepped out. Rolling up his sleeves, he asked if he could help. At this point the owner figured, Why not?
The elderly fellow crawled under the Model T and fiddled with the engine. After a few minutes, he told the owner to start it up. The younger man turned the engine over, and it fired to life. Scratching his head, the owner asked, “How did you know what to do?”
Wiping his hands on a rag, the elderly fellow replied, “My name is Henry Ford. I designed this car. I know what makes it work!”
Like that old Model T, at some point, we all “break down.” It could be a serious relational issue, trouble with our job, or fear over the future. Like the frustrated mechanic, we can exhaust ourselves, attempting to fix our problems. We forget our Father in heaven designed us, understands everything about us, and knows how to fix us.
Proverbs 3:5 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Our own understanding—our own best thinking—can land us in a load of trouble. Using our human perception to fix ourselves generally makes matters worse. Here’s a thought. How about giving up control, and simply letting God fix us?
David experienced a season when his life had “broken down.” He turned to God, and discovered this truth: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). During these troubled times—political instability, another round of COVID, even the threat of nuclear war—we need to remember these words.
Face it, this isn’t exactly the easiest time in history to be alive. But looking back through the centuries, I’m glad I’m living right now. No matter who we are, or where we hang our hat, as long as we keep our eyes laser focused on Jesus, we can live in confident hope. During these difficult days, when we feel broken down on the side of the road, let’s remember we have someone in heaven who designed us, understands us, and knows exactly how to fix us.
Principle: God designed us and knows how to fix us.
Ponder:
What issues in your life are you really needing God to fix?
How can you learn to surrender control and simply let God fix you?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Psalm 34.
Prayer: “Lord, I need you; every hour of my life I need you. Strengthen me to trust you when I break down.”