what's your problem?

Sitting here, listening to Coldplay's new CD for like the fifteenth billion time.  Chewing on a yellow guitar pick that I found in my jeans. 

Funny thing about being a guitar player, you find picks EVERYWHERE.  Most the time, if I need one, I look in the lent trap in my dryer.  That's where they all usually end up.  I keep them in that small pocket that is inside your right pocket.  I don't know if women have that pocket, but all my jeans have them and I never could figure out what they were for.  Then I found that they make great pick holders.  I usually shove 3 in there before service on Sundays, just so I know where I can find one if I can't find mine during click off.

I saw "Moneyball" last Saturday.  Great movie.  I've been thinking about a certain part of the movie.  Don't worry, I am not going to spoil anything.

There is a scene in the movie where the GM, Billy Beane, is asking his team, "what is our problem?"  Of course, his team is responding with "we need to replace Damon and Giambi" (two very good players that went to different teams that season because they were offered more money).

Billy says "no" and asks the same question again.  And like the first time, he gets the same answers.  He then ask the same question and points to the new guy he just acquired.  The new guy responds, "we need more runs."

THAT is the problem.  Not replacing someone or something, the problem is runs.  More runs win you the game. 

Which, of course, I have been thinking about all week.  What is my problem.  A lot of people would say that their problem is "they need money," but that isn't their problem.  Their problem is they need food, they need a house, they need clothes or an education. 

When we go to God, a majority of us go to Him asking for more money.  We tithe expecting to be blessed...financially. 

I have heard SO many preaceher's talk about "sewing" your seed for a financial blessing.  I actually heard on TBN a preacher say if you call in and give to him, you'll have a blessing in 24 hours. 

Not that I don't believe in "sewing a seed" but when does it go from "sewing a seed" to trying to buy a miracle?  And lets face it, most of us want a financial blessing.

Why?  So we can pay our mortgage, make our car payment, buy that nice expensive pair of shoes that we have to have?  Most of the time, our problems are not money.  We think they are, but they aren't.  Your problem is you need something that you don't have it.  Society tells you that you need money and lots of it to get what you want. 

Some might tell God that their problem is that a certain someone that they want to be with doesn't love them.  That is not their problem.  Their problem is they haven't found someone to love and love them in return.  Maybe they need to start asking God for that.

Is happiness a problem, or is it greed in your heart that is preventing you to be happy with what you have your problem?  I once heard someone talk about happiness only lasting as long as a clap.  A new gold watch is only going to make you happy for a few days, then it's going to be the necklace to match the watch that brings you happiness.

If we sometimes could think outside the box, rather then the one way that we have been born to think, maybe we could get further and more out of this life.  Sometimes you need to stop and think about what it really is you want.

Maybe God is asking us the same question Billy was.  And maybe He is saying the same thing when we tell Him what our problem is.  That what we think our problem is, really isn't the problem at all, but something entirely different.