It’s sort of a joke all over social media… When things don’t go as planned or Murphy’s Law takes over resulting in minor inconveniences, we hashtag pictures, tweets, and posts with #FirstWorldProbs.  #FirstWorldProbs make light of our American plights (no outlet to charge our cell phone, a water boil (Corpus Christi knows ALL about this), a Starbucks drink not made to perfection, etc.) in comparison to TRUE #ThirdWorldProbs (having NO clean water, NO food to eat, jiggers embedded in the soles of your feet).

But what if God IS in our #FirstWorldProbs JUST as much as He is in #ThirdWorldProbs?

My parents and I just returned from a fabulous trip to Vegas, the Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon.  It was PERFECT in nearly every way.  Friday, June 13^th we boarded a train in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to head back to Williams, AZ, where we would depart the next day for Phoenix to fly home.  The train ride back was loads of fun.  The food was flowing, conversation was lively, and our train was even held up at gunpoint by a band of rowdy cowboys!  We returned to the hotel, went to dinner and came back to pack up.

All of the sudden my mom said, “Where’s my camera?”  We were like, “Whaaa?!? Where IS your camera?”  We turned our room upside down searching for her black camera bag.  Nothing.  After retracing our steps throughout the day, the most plausible camera location was “left on the train.”  I can see the blue stitching on the camera bag strap right now resting at my feet.

We called security.  They went out to the train at 9:00 at night to look for our camera and no dice.  We called the front desk to see if it had been turned in, and no dice.

Our hearts sank.  Although we had pictures on our iPhones, there were some located ONLY on the camera and those were the ones most memorable (OF COURSE) (i.e. our family pic under the Vegas sign, and the picture of Phil on his hike WAY down in the canyon).  We all were on the verge of tears.  OVER A LOST CAMERA. Not really the camera per se, but the pictures on the SD Card.  #FirstWorldProbs

The next morning, we had security look AGAIN in the daylight and still nothing.  I called the two other places where we could have left the camera the day before.  Nothing.  I called the South Rim Lost and Found.  Nothing.

I even filled out a missing report on CameraFound.com JUST IN CASE an honest soul comes across it.

That Friday night before I went to sleep, I begged God, “PLEASE….LET THAT CAMERA STILL BE ON THE TRAIN.”  My heart was reeling for my mom as her devastation was evident.  I pleaded, “Lord, she stepped out of her comfort zone today to love on a sweet Hopi Indian lady.  She told her about you!! She was obedient for crying out loud!! Won’t you PLEASE reward her with the return of her camera?!”

We woke up the next morning to depart for Phoenix.  It was still somber and just an in general “yuck” feeling.  #FirstWorldProbs

I hugged my sweet mama to try to comfort her.  And she uttered the sweetest words; words that could only come from a heart close to God.

“Sara, it’s fine.  God told me last night that if I didn’t find my camera, it was OK.  He told me I have the memories in my heart and mind.” And just like that, she was over it. (Admittedly, my heart was still broken.)

I mean, seriously?! People are starving, societies are collapsing, and God is concerned about our lost camera?!  Yes, He is!  He LOVES us.  He comforted my mom with much needed words and peace.

I believe wholeheartedly He is in the small stuff JUST AS MUCH as He is in the big stuff.  I have to constantly remind myself of this.  He loves us unconditionally!  When a child WAILS from a scraped knee, does his hurting not break his parents’ heart?  When a wayward child doesn’t return home, are his parents not consumed with grief?  Absolutely!  God IS in our #FirstWorldProbs AND BIGGER problems because He is our daddy, our Abba father.  What hurts us, hurts Him.  No matter how big or small the hurt.

While my mom’s camera is still missing nearly two weeks later, and likely someone has them a sweet new pink digital camera, we are content; His plan is good and He is faithful.

More and more, I take time during my day to pause and pray over #FirstWorldProbs, minor inconveniences and struggles.  Just to know He cares about those concerns comforts my heart.  And sometimes, He even resolves an issue almost immediately.  Other times He does not, but provides peace. I also think He longs for us to simply converse with Him.  And delights in us trusting Him with the little things JUST as much as we trust Him with the big things. What about you?  Have you seen God at work in your #FirstWorldProbs?