Does Christianity solve personal problems?

Question

If I pray and truly believe God will turn around a personal problem, does Christianity support that will help solve the issue?

Example:

What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

—Mark 11:24

Is there some context I am missing with this quote or does it stand alone - and I can use it to solve personal problems?

Thanks.

Can you give a specific example? Some are covered by other questions here. — Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE, Mar 18 '12 at 08:18
FWIW, never worked for my Lamborghini :( More seriously, here's an interesting alternative take on 'Getting Better' — Benjol, Mar 20 '12 at 09:34
God's not a vending machine, but taking the Christian approach can solve, or help solve, some problems. This is too broad as asked. — KorvinStarmast, Jan 07 '17 at 19:42

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 19 '12 at 16:57

Christianity solves a couple of "personal" problems. It solves our struggle against sin (this is called sanctification), and it solves the problem of our well deserved awaiting judgement (this is called justification). It also empowers us to further the kingdom of God.

Mark 11:24 (NASB)
²⁴ Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

In saying this, Jesus did not intend to place himself inside a genie lamp to fulfil our every whim. When Jesus says "all things for which you pray and ask", there is an implied qualification on the "all things". That is, what you ask for must be in accordance with God's will.

This concept is clarified if we take a look at 1 John.

1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)
¹⁴ This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Here, John makes the qualification explicit. What we ask must be in accordance to His will. In James, we see something similar:

James 4:3 (NASB)
³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

James's audience did not receive, because they did not ask in accordance with God's will. They asked selfishly, in order to fulfil their own desires, and not to further the kingdom of God.

however, I see the problem, all issues that need help are usually for a personal desire....perhaps there is a degree in how that is measured. — Greg McNulty, Mar 19 '12 at 18:50
I wish I could +100 for "In saying this, Jesus did not intend to place himself inside a genie lamp to fulfil our every whim." — David Stratton, Mar 20 '12 at 00:27

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 18 '12 at 09:49

The Atonement of Christ is unique and powerful in that He experienced everything that you would go through in life. This means that even if no one else in the world understands what your going through with a trial Christ does and can help you.

If you pray for help with a problem and truly believe that God can help you then you will receive help. But the thing to remember is that this life is a test so God expects you to make choices on your own. Also as the Old Testament puts it:

Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my ways higher then your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So what you want as help on a problem is not always what you will get because God sees all and knows what is best for you even if you don't. He will always do whats best. Which means that you might not get the help you were looking for, but you will always get help.

Does Christianity solve personal problems?

2 Answers2