Up until a few days ago, we had a problematic faucet at our house. Thanks to our hard water and a persnickety aerator, the pressure tended to diminish quickly to where a twenty-second hand washing was now more than double that. I’d done all the things—replacing that part, soaking it in vinegar, etc. If there’s a YouTube video for faucets, I’ve watched it and tried it. Some of the tricks helped for a while, but in the last few months, the part that screws into the end to control the spray became completely stuck, and no amount of YouTubing worked anymore.
Finally, it totally gave up. Zero water flow. And of course, it was when I had soap on my hands. That was the last straw for me; the faucet had to go immediately. Never mind that we have several other usable sinks, a mile-long to-do list, and were leaving town the next day. I set my mind on replacing the faucet at that very moment.
That’s when the problems began to stack up. The cutoff valves behind the sink failed to do their one job. Then my frantic trip to Home Depot turned into the first trip of several, as I purchased the wrong supplies. It felt like one thing right after another. My patience grew thin, and all I could think was that I brought it upon myself because I refused to ask for help or to wait for an opportune time to schedule a professional.
In defeat, I cried out for God to fix the mess I created. I prayed, “Lord, help me not to go looking for trouble. But now that I’ve found it anyway, how do we fix it?”
As I sat there surrounded by wet towels, tools, and a sink that was in worse shape than when I’d started, it occurred to me how often I handle life the same way. I ignore small problems until they overwhelm and become emergencies. Then I rush to fix them myself.
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” God is happy to hear about all our problems, from the major life-altering ones down to the minor frustrations. Even the problems that started small but got bigger because we made them so. Casting our cares on the One who cares for us is freeing.
Prayer didn’t magically repair the faucet. I still had to drive to the store more than once, hear complaints about how long the water was turned off, and deal with the mess. But talking to God about it repaired my perspective and gave me the clarity to make the necessary repairs without melting down.
Hopefully next time I won’t wait until I’ve exhausted myself before asking for God’s help. He is just as near when the water stops flowing from a clogged faucet as He is in life’s greatest crises, and He delights in meeting His children in both.