My new tool was not working properly. I tried several things to get it working, but it was to no avail.

I went and picked up the owner’s manual, and there was an entire section labeled “Troubleshooting.”

The section will list a problem and then a solution. Some issues may have multiple solutions. These pages offer the owner practical instructions on how to handle the difficulties they might encounter.

Sadly, the Bible does not offer a troubleshooting section. If something in your life is not working the way it should, then look up page 181 and find three things you can do to fix it. There are no “easy steps” to overcome whatever you are facing.

Yet, I encounter Christians regularly who come to me, tell me about a struggle they are facing, and then ask me to troubleshoot it. They are always disappointed when I tell them that the scriptures are not that straightforward. Some stories and passages help us gain an understanding of what God wants us to do in a general way, but there is little practical advice on how that might work out in your life.

My typical response to people is to have them read some section of the Bible, start praying for a solution, seek wise counsel, develop a plan that fits their personality, and pray some more before they act. The way to fix their issues is very rarely a simple answer; instead, it takes time to think, reflect, and draw close to God. And even then, it requires an element of faith as they move forward.

Unfortunately, the Bible has no troubleshooting section. Instead, it encourages us to spend a lifetime taking our troubles to God, seeking his will, and trusting that he will work even when we don’t see it.