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Is there anything better than finding a simple solution to a difficult problem?

We all have them, difficult problems that is.

The frequent frustrations and battle fatigue that come with raising small children.
The lonely corners of a marriage, and every marriage, even a really good one, has them.
Politics at work, disillusionment at church, financial strains or physical maladies—it seems like there’s always something conspiring to lick the frosting off the cupcake of life while we scratch our heads looking for a solution.

For instance, recently a lightbulb broke off in the socket of my exterior Entry light fixture.
The thing hangs about 10′ above the ground and has a small opening at the bottom.
There’s not much room for maneuvering a hand or using a tool inside the fixture.
Removing the metal lightbulb housing still stuck in the socket and guarded vigilantly by the remaining shards of glass was not gonna be a snap.

Also, I have a phobia about getting electrocuted.

My husband finally prevailed because he’s totally brave and used a piece of Rubbermaid non-slip shelf liner to get a safe grip on the bulb, but there was an even easier solution—if I’d only known about it.

Later I Googled my broken lightbulb problem and up popped what I call The Raw Potato Solution.
It’s just what you imagine.
Take a raw potato and cut off the end exposing the firm and starchy inside.
With the electricity turned OFF, stick the potato onto the protruding shards of glass and unscrew it from the socket.

I haven’t tried it, but it sounds elegantly simple because potatoes are affordable and ubiquitous.
I’ve waited about 42 years to use that word in a sentence.
What a relief.
Anyway. . .

 

Thinking about life’s problems I found myself wishing there was a Raw Potato Solution for more of them.

There is, but I just hadn’t thought of it that way until now.
Maybe you haven’t either.

Prayer is a Christian version of The Raw Potato Solution.
Think about it.
Prayer costs us nothing because God, by grace, has given us access to Him continually. (Romans 5:1-2)
He’s always willing to hear us and help us. (1 Peter 5:7)
Prayer helps us handle the sharp edges of our lives. (Psalm 34:19)
The broken parts that aren’t working right.
People and situations that we can’t get a grip on are the perfect subjects for the Raw Potato Solution of Prayer. (Psalm 18:16-18)

• You can translate every frustration into a prayer for kind-patience.
• Let your unspoken fears be transformed into statements of faith because you know God intends to work in people and situations to bring about good. (Romans 8:28)
• Confess your broken, not yet Christlike attitudes and ask for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit.

God doesn’t expect you to handle on your own everything that comes into your life.
In fact, the troubles we have in life usually work to draw us closer to Him.
Jesus said we’d have trouble in this life, but He promised us His peace and joy. (John 14 & 15)

Say your prayers, talk to God about your troubles, you’ll find it’s even easier than peeling a potato.