A few weeks ago I asked a packed Sunday morning church how many had debt.
90 per cent raised their hands – a bond, an HP, maybe a clothing or furniture account.
South Africans are in debt. Then I asked a follow-up question. How many have issues?
My personal conclusion was that 100 per cent of us have issues – sexual abuse, emotional abuse or trauma of some other kind.
Many people choose to live in denial or to sweep their issues under the carpet. The reality is that issues that are not dealt with form part of the inheritance we leave to our children.
Here are a few pointers to consider when dealing with our issues.
1. Don’t make your issues bigger than they are. Yes, they are big and they are real but don’t make them bigger than they are.
2. Don’t hang onto them forever. Some people choose to hold onto their issues forever. Get help and get rid of the issue as far as is possible.
3. Don’t see your issue only as a bad thing. Paul in the Bible had a “thorn in the flesh”.
After begging God to take it away, God said that the thorn had a purpose – to keep Paul humble.
Your issue can be either a stepping stone or a stumbling block. The choice is yours.
