Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 729 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What's Your Problem? – Mindshift Monday


Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 729 of our Trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series.  Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.  Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.  You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think.  In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift.  It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed.  This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.   Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH.  Have you ever met anyone who does not have problems in their life?  No, I haven’t either.  Now I have met some that seemed to have so many problems that if it weren’t for bad luck, they’d have no luck at all.  They seem to go from one drama to the next, but no one has to live that way.  So let me ask you:
What’s Your Problem?
Problems are many things to many people, but let’s look at it through the eyes of those people that successfully handle problems on a consistent basis.  Problems are predictors.  They forecast the future by exposing areas of potential weakness.  How you react to difficulties when they begin to surface will determine where you and the problems will be tomorrow.  No trial will leave you as the same person that you are today.  The decisions we make today concerning the problems that face us will shape our future.  This requires that we are in a continual mindshift mode to most effectively handle these problems.  Remember, the circumstances in which we find ourselves today are a direct reflection of the decisions that we made yesterday.  The decisions that we make are a direct reflection of what we allow to enter into our mind.
·       Problems are Reminders
They remind us that we need God’s help to handle the upheavals of life.  The Apostle Paul realized if he had the thought  “I can do everything” that it would be an arrogant and improper mindset which would have caused problems.  Instead, he knew the truth as he wrote to in Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Paul knew the secret of success was much more than self-confidence, but Christ-confidence.  His achievements could only come through Christ, and he succeeded because in every problem he remembered the truth.
·       Problems are Obstacles
Problems frustrate us while we attempt to reach specific objectives or goals.  For instance, a baby or toddler handle most obstacles by crying or whining.  Some adults never outgrow that phase as they will pout, quit, blame someone else, or just ignore the entire situation.  Others will come up with solutions on how to eliminate the problem, or at least work around them in order to keep moving forward.  Regardless of our reaction to a problem, for a time it is an obstacle on our trek of life.


·       Problems are Blessings
Problems will refine us until the dross of our frailty burns off and we become stronger on our trek through life.  A smooth trail never makes a skillful hiker.  Problems help to keep us alert and sharp.  Otherwise, we will become complacent and unmotivated.  A few problems and tensions can be good for us,