Some problems are instantly obvious. A smashed-up car, a vandalised park item, a wall that has been knocked down… it’s easy to see these problems. Similarly, some health issues are instantly obvious; the pot on the arm is a clue to the injury that has been done! But other problems are not as obvious or visible, and therefore can go undetected for a long time.
Laodicea was a church with a great big problem, but the fact is, this was not visible to many people. They lived in a prosperous city famous for banking, fashion and medicine and thought of themselves as rich and not needing anything. They were self-sufficient and proud of it, a paragon of virtue in the eyes of the world and in their own eyes. Their complacency led to huge spiritual problems, however, for it meant they were neither hot nor cold; Jesus described them as lukewarm and said he would spit them out of his mouth unless they changed. (Rev 3:15-16)
Sometimes, our biggest problems are unseen by us and other people. If we try to live life on our own, forgetting what God has done for us, we are in big trouble. The answer to such problems is to face up to the assessment of the ‘Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.’ (Rev 3:14) It is to repent and open the door of our hearts to let Jesus in again. We have to understand that there is so much more to life than material things and that the biggest problems occur when we sever ourselves from the spiritual lifeline we have to God. Thankfully, those whom Jesus loves, He disciplines. (Heb 12:5-11) If we have ears to hear what He has to say, we will get the big problems sorted!