I know many people who are angry at God, angry at people...just angry. Anger held long enough becomes bitterness, and bitterness changes who you are. Bitterness will not just affect YOU. It will affect every single person who comes into your life. The cost is so high for this kind of rage and anger. And what makes the cost so unbelievable is that most of the time, the anger is completely misdirected.
Here's the thing. When you choose the action, you choose the consequence. Consequences are inextricably bound to behaviors. We don't want that to be so, for ourselves or for the people we love. But God created humans with the exhilarating ability to consider and choose, and, barring a miracle, he doesn't intervene and circumvent the choices we make. It was true for Adam and Eve, and true for all of us, their children. God has never had a hidden agenda, never tried to trick us, bait and switch. He has told us the plain truth over and over again. He has written the laws into the universe. Whatever you sow, you reap. But we insist on sowing sin and foolishness and instant gratification--and then blame God and whoever else is in our range of fire if the crop doesn't fail.
I frequently am privy to rants of people who have sown neglect and immorality in front of their children, and then are angry when their children run off the tracks.
Or people whose loved one dies of an overdose or alcohol poisoning after they themselves have pleaded to deaf ears, "Don't do this!You are killing yourself!" But the moment death occurs, it's God's failure.
Some treat loved ones like disposable property, and then beg God to keep those loved ones from leaving. Others behave foolishly at work and lose the job, or try to live like a prince on money they don't have, and then...well, you know the drill.
On the other hand, we told our children, "If you drive like a maniac or under the influence and are killed, we will never say, 'God took our child'. If we are angry at anyone, it won't be God--it will be you. And we will always love you, but our grief will be that you were so foolish and strong-willed that you did this to yourself."
Come on. You know it is true. Choices and consequences can't be separated. God loves us so much he gives us the ability and freedom to make choices. Wouldn't it be liberating if, when the consequences connected to our choices come thundering into our lives, we would have the integrity to point the finger at the one who made the choice, and then go to the One Who knows us best and loves us most for comfort, strength, and hope?
Here's the thing. When you choose the action, you choose the consequence. Consequences are inextricably bound to behaviors. We don't want that to be so, for ourselves or for the people we love. But God created humans with the exhilarating ability to consider and choose, and, barring a miracle, he doesn't intervene and circumvent the choices we make. It was true for Adam and Eve, and true for all of us, their children. God has never had a hidden agenda, never tried to trick us, bait and switch. He has told us the plain truth over and over again. He has written the laws into the universe. Whatever you sow, you reap. But we insist on sowing sin and foolishness and instant gratification--and then blame God and whoever else is in our range of fire if the crop doesn't fail.
I frequently am privy to rants of people who have sown neglect and immorality in front of their children, and then are angry when their children run off the tracks.
Or people whose loved one dies of an overdose or alcohol poisoning after they themselves have pleaded to deaf ears, "Don't do this!You are killing yourself!" But the moment death occurs, it's God's failure.
Some treat loved ones like disposable property, and then beg God to keep those loved ones from leaving. Others behave foolishly at work and lose the job, or try to live like a prince on money they don't have, and then...well, you know the drill.
On the other hand, we told our children, "If you drive like a maniac or under the influence and are killed, we will never say, 'God took our child'. If we are angry at anyone, it won't be God--it will be you. And we will always love you, but our grief will be that you were so foolish and strong-willed that you did this to yourself."
Come on. You know it is true. Choices and consequences can't be separated. God loves us so much he gives us the ability and freedom to make choices. Wouldn't it be liberating if, when the consequences connected to our choices come thundering into our lives, we would have the integrity to point the finger at the one who made the choice, and then go to the One Who knows us best and loves us most for comfort, strength, and hope?
1 comment:
Hey Brenda -- Really enjoyed your post!
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