The Solution to Any Problem

 By: Lauren Thomas 

Have you ever been annoyed with someone for giving you an oversimplified solution to a problem that you had been dealing with? Have you ever been annoyed with yourself when you realized that that oversimplified solution was actually the only solution to the problem? 

In the Bible, we have several letters that the apostle Paul wrote to various churches. Many of these letters were in response to problems within these churches or answers to questions raised by them. Some of these questions we can discern from the text, but others are less clear. An example of the latter is the book of Colossians. We don’t know specifically what Paul was writing to address, but we do know that Paul’s resounding answer was quite simple: Jesus Christ.

 

Through a beautiful hymn in Colossians 1:15-20, Paul wrote to the Colossian church about the preeminence, power, and superiority of Jesus. He argued the truth that Jesus was (and still is) the solution to the issues within their church. 

 

I love that we don’t know exactly what problem Paul was writing to correct, because it’s a good reminder that no matter what problem we face, the answer is simple: Jesus. 

 

I know that sounds like an oversimplification. I know that answer will annoy some people. Simple doesn’t mean irrelevant. Jesus truly is the answer to any problem. 

 

A problem in your marriage… the answer is Jesus.

A problem in your family… the answer is Jesus.

A problem at work…the answer is Jesus.

A problem in culture, government, politics, media… the answer is Jesus.

 

The answer is simple. Jesus is the only solution to the evils we face, the struggles we endure, the hardships we experience. But sometimes the simplest solution is also the most difficult to implement.

 

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

Colossians 2:6 ESV

 

Paul understood this. In Colossians 3 and 4 he described what it means to walk in Christ. And this lifestyle he recommended was completely countercultural to what his audience knew.

 

The answer is simple. The application can be challenging. But it doesn’t make this any less true: Jesus is the answer to any problem we face. It's who He is. It's what He's done. He is the solution.

 

Reflection:

Read Colossians 1:15-20 (or, even better, the whole book!). List the ways Paul described Jesus. If you are facing a difficulty in your life, what aspects of Jesus’ preeminence touch your specific struggle? How can you invite Jesus to be preeminent over your challenges?