Is It Really Possible to Find a Needle in A Haystack?

By Alexandra Copeland

Finding a needle in a haystack speaks to both the complexity and the perseverance that it takes to discover solutions to life’s challenges. Doesn’t matter who you are, what you do for a living, or how much money you have in the bank, we all have issues and problems in life; some of them are real doozies. In most cases, we all want the best possible outcome for ourselves. We want to be happy and have the more than abundant life that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, made available. The exciting news is that God has great things in store for us, and wants to see us blessed, happy, and whole way more than we could ever possibly want it for ourselves. In order to have what Heavenly Father has made available through Christ, we need to be obedient to His Word. Sometimes we just won’t do what God says, and this is why, for some of us, the search for that needle doesn’t get any easier.

The first thing we need to know is that when it comes to the obstacle course of life, it is very definitely possible to find a needle in a haystack. It’s possible to find solutions that are ideal for the path God has laid before us. He tells us in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Things are always working out in the background. We get into trouble because we don’t know how God is working out our problems, and we can’t always physically see the evidence of things coming together. Most of us get a little antsy about this.

In John 10:10, Jesus Christ tells us that he came to make a more than abundant life available, but he also makes it very clear that we have an enemy. God’s archenemy is satan, and he is our enemy as well. Jesus didn’t want us to be ignorant regarding the devil, and informed us that he’s a thief who steals, kills, and destroys. There’s no second guessing the enemy’s motives. Jesus put it all out in the open, but the devil’s tactics are not always apparent to us, and sometimes we’re tricked into searching for the wrong needles in the wrong haystack. When we do this, we can miss out big time.  

In Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:25, and Luke 18:25, Jesus Christ compared the way to heaven to the eye of a needle. If you’ve seen a sewing needle, you know that the eye is very small. In his time, this was no doubt the case as well. Jesus said that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. For those with fat pockets, this may seem a bit harsh, but our Master Jesus is the truth, and he always brings the truth. He speaks it plainly and doesn’t mince words. Many people are rich, and God would not want His people to be without the bounty of His blessings, but we can never overlook the hindrance that having too much material wealth and not enough spiritual wealth can cause.

Finding a needle in a haystack and threading one with a camel is as challenging as it sounds. Our blessed Savior was in no way trying to discourage us from salvation, but to show us the enormous gift of it, and also the care we must take to maintain it. 2Thessalonians 2:14 (NLT) tells us, “He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross, you and I get to share in his glory! We didn’t earn this privilege. It’s a gift from God, and like any gift of great worth, we should be mindful how we take care of it.

Our problems and issues can be as unique and varied as we are. God will solve them if we will give Him the chance, but like thread, we must keep ourselves woven into His Will, and we must be pliable to it. If there are areas where we are resisting obedience to His Word, we can’t be like those who just keep right on sinning. We can’t be like some rich people who keep stacking their pockets with no regard for those in need. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God rewards diligent effort. He tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek Him first, before we do anything else. So the responsibility is on us to grow in Christ, because that’s the reason for being a Christian. And when we become razor-focused on God and His Word through diligence to the example of Christ, something miraculous will happen; the haystack will open up and the needle will appear.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.