Dr Norman Vincent Peale was famous worldwide as the author of the best-seller “The Power of Positive Thinking”.
But few knew how far he went to share his “gospel”…….
One Sunday he was speaking at his Congregational Church in New York when the topic of “problems” came up.
These days it seems almost everyone has problems; and almost everyone struggles to deal with them.
Most people think the answer is to get rid of all of them.
But Dr Peale had a different approach…..
In his crackly mid-western drawl he growled loudly over the lectern:
“Now if there’s anyone here who doesn’t have at least six really doozy problems to deal with I don’t want you to waste another minute in this place!
I want you to leave this church immediately and go straight home.
I want you to go into your house and close the door.
I want you to go directly into your bedroom and close that door, too -and kneel by your bed and put your hands together in prayer and ask the Lord “What’s wrong Lord? Don’t you TRUST me anymore?!?”.
For Dr Peale people having problems weren’t a problem – but thinking that all problems were a problem was a problem.
For Dr Peale problems could often be disguised gifts.
They could be something valuable to “get your teeth into!” as he told many people.
One young lad who wanted to live problem-free was invited by Dr Peale to visit a community of a quarter of a million folk that had managed to avoid all problems: he drove the boy to the Arlington Cemetery.
“Not a problem between them!” the good Doctor enthused.
The boy laughed and thanked the Dr Peale for the revelation.
Do you?
Can you see the gift in many of the problems you face?
Can you acknowledge them and give thanks for them?
Do they help you mature and grow in wisdom and understanding?
Can you be thankful that you have the ability to better understand their meaning in your life?
Can you define the difference between problems that help make you – and those that break you?
Need help?
Please remember I am always here for you.
Be well, be safe – be happy!
Peace be within you.
Les