In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. –Jonah 2:2 (NIV)

My husband and I aren’t ones to replace things just because they’re old and outdated. If it still works—however it works—we use it. If it breaks, we fix it.

We have two old televisions (actually three if I count the one we use in the living room): one in the camper and one on the back deck. Both are big, bulky, heavy, and cumbersome. The picture on both is on the fuzzy side but viewable without eyestrain.

We rarely use the one in the camper because when we go camping, we want to spend time outdoors, hiking, seeing the sights, and sitting around the campfire. The only time we use it is on a rainy day when there’s nothing else to do but watch DVDs. The one on the back deck we use all summer long, mostly for baseball games.

We stepped out of character last week, though, and splurged on a new television: a 32-inch, flat-screen TV that didn’t empty our bank account and weighs about 10 pounds. Because it’s so light, we can use it in both the camper and on the back deck.

So we thought. But things are never simple, are they?

We were excited as we took the new TV out of the box and set it up. Well, tried to set it up. Oh, we got a picture, all right, but it wasn’t as sharp as the one in the store and the color was off. I went into the settings, but nothing I did corrected the problem. Did we get a lemon? Back into the box it went.

But I decided to wait until I did a little more research and asked around. The solution may be something simple, but we just don’t see it yet.

I’d like to say the television is up and running the way it should. But I can’t. Because it’s still in the box. We just haven’t had the time to try the solutions that were suggested. It would have been nice to plug it in, turn it on, and sit down and watch it.

Such is life, isn’t it? Complicated, rarely simple. Problems arise that we don’t have the answers for. Perhaps the answer is there, but we just don’t see it. We have to deal with situations and people we don’t understand, no matter how hard we try. Sometimes the answer comes in a trial-and-error list, but we don’t have the time to go through the possible solutions.

So what do we do? Whine and cry and complain? I do more of that than I should.

God invites us to bring our problems to Him:

• “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).
• “Come unto Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden” (Matthew 11:28).
• “Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
• “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

I love the word “boldly” in Hebrews 4:16 – it means to go to God with confidence and without fear.

When life gets complicated, the answer is simple: Take it to God. Your heavenly Father is waiting for you to come to Him.

Thank You, Father, for the lessons I learn when life gets complicated. Amen.

Extra tea: Read and meditate on Psalm 55