Consider the equation −ε∆uε + q(x)uε = f(uε) in R3, |u(∞)| < ∞, ε = const > 0. Under what assumptions on q(x) and f(u) can one prove that the solution uε exists and limε→0 uε = u(x), where u(x) solves the limiting problem q(x)u = f(u)? These are the questions discussed in the paper.