Praying Problems Away

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, April 13.

By Andrew McChesney

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leven-year-old Daniil was struggling to do his fifth-grade math homework on the home computer in the Russian Far North. He was able to solve all of the math problems … except one. It was a very hard problem.

Daniil tried to solve the problem one way. It didn’t work. He tried to solve the problem another way. It didn’t work. For 10 minutes, Daniil tried to solve the problem. His eyes grew sad. His head hung down. He didn’t want to sit at the computer anymore.

Getting up, he went into the living room. Father was sitting on the couch, typing an email to someone on his cell phone. “Father, I can’t solve a math problem,” he said.

Father followed the boy to the computer. Daniil showed him the math problem. Father looked closely. He twisted his mouth. He also could not solve it. But he had an idea.

“Let’s pray,” he said. “God can solve this problem. He definitely will help you.”

Father bowed his head and closed his eyes. Daniil bowed his head and closed his eyes.

“Dear God,” Father prayed, “thank You for being with us. You know that Daniil needs to solve this math problem. We can’t figure it out, but You can. Please help us. Amen.”

Father raised his head and opened his eyes. Daniil raised his head and opened his eyes. Then he looked at the math problem on the computer screen. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “Maybe we should try this.”

He typed something and, just like that, the math problem was solved.

“See, I told you that God would help,” Father said, smiling.

Daniil’s smile was brighter than the sun. He was so happy! “Hooray!” he exclaimed.

A day or two later, Daniil was struggling with a math problem again. He tried to solve the problem one way. It didn’t work. He tried to solve it another way. It didn’t work. For 10 minutes, Daniil tried. Finally, he sadly got up and went to the kitchen. Father was peeling potatoes as he helped Mother make borscht (beet soup) for supper. “Father, I can’t solve a math problem,” Daniil said.

Father followed the boy to the computer, and Daniil showed him the problem. It was too difficult for Father to solve.

“Let’s pray,” he said. “God can solve this problem. He definitely will help you again.”

Father bowed his head and closed his eyes. Daniil bowed his head and closed his eyes.

“Dear God, thank You for being with us,” Father prayed. “You know that Daniil needs to solve this math problem. We can’t figure it out, but You can. Please help us. Amen.”

Father raised his head and opened his eyes. Daniil raised his head and opened his eyes. Then he looked at the math problem on the computer screen. He still couldn’t solve it.

Father returned to the kitchen and resumed peeling potatoes.

Five minutes later, Daniil ran to
the kitchen.

“Father, I solved the problem!” he exclaimed.

Father was so happy.

“God wants to show you that He can solve any problem, not just in math but in every area of your life,” he said.

Daniil knew that it was true. God could help him in anything. All he needed to do was ask.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open a special center where children and adults can learn about the God who hears prayers in Daniil’s hometown of Salekhard in the Russian Far North. Thank you for planning a generous offering on June 29.