Persistent Problems: A Safe Hiding Place or a Call to Change?
Seth Godin recently shared a thought that made me stop and think:
I won’t walk away. I won’t change anything. I won’t forgive. I won’t ask for help. It’s personal. I don’t want to talk about it. I will think about this a lot. I can even add another problem just like this one.
We all have problems that stick around — things we keep thinking about, things we hold onto tightly, things that feel like part of us. Sometimes, we even collect problems, stacking them up, one after another.
But here’s the thing: as long as we keep holding onto them, we don’t have to take a risk and step into something new.
What Can We Learn From the Past?
The Desert Fathers and Mothers — early Christians who left everything to live in the wilderness — understood this struggle. They didn’t run away to escape their problems. They went to face them.
One of them, Abba Poemen, said:
“Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.”
They knew that the biggest battle isn’t outside — it’s inside us. Instead of using their struggles as an excuse to stay stuck, they named their problems, let go of what was holding them back, and took action to change.
A Modern Example: Robbie Williams in Better Man
I watched Better Man this week, and it reminded me of this truth. Robbie Williams fought fame, addiction, and self-doubt — problems that played on repeat in his mind. They became both his barrier and his identity.
But at some point, he had to ask himself:
Am I going to let this struggle define me, or will I take a step toward something new?
Grab a cuppa this weekend and take a moment to think:
- What is one problem you keep coming back to?
- What is one small step you can take to break its hold?
Maybe it’s talking to someone, making a decision, or even just naming the problem aloud.
The Desert Fathers and Mothers didn’t wait for perfect circumstances — and neither should we. They walked into the desert, not to be trapped by it, but to find freedom.
