"Why is this happening?" A common question uttered when watching the news. The reason for it will never be blurted, as the blame game is more fun, but a fallen world is at the heart along with our spiritual condition. We live in a fallen world due to sin, which is a spiritual condition. In Genesis, satan tempted Eve not just with fruit, but with the desire to be like God.
"Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4
Satan (the serpent) spins truth by stating to Eve that she would not die. But God meant a spiritual death when warning about eating of the tree. Adam and Eve would no longer experience 24/7 holiness, which was pain free, innocent, beautiful, and in direct contact with God. Up until this point they only knew good, but after eating the fruit they would know evil and death. And that is what happened, Adam and Eve were no longer in holiness, but in sin. The results didn’t point to them becoming god-like as they scrambled for fig leaves to cover themselves and hid from God (Genesis 3:7-8), instead it pointed to their weakness and need. They needed the almighty God. The God who created this earth and universe. The God who created Adam and Eve and wanted a relationship with them. Yet a desire to be a god led to a world of pain.
Look where we are today, some 6,000 years later, not doing any better (probably worse) with evil abounding in every corner of the world - human trafficking, killing of innocent children, substance abuse, senseless wars, hunger, mass murders, theft, and sexual immorality with a dash of perversion. We're not doing well if a woman marries a human sized doll that then cheats on her. Or how well are we doing when for Christmas you could enjoy an immersive stage show featuring krampas, cannibalistic monsters, demons, and pagan rituals. And really how mental are we when we have kiddos schooling us on their pronouns...I'm a demon, wolf, or toaster. I'll stop there, but the main question is...what is going on here?! It's sin.
You may say, well what about the natural disasters, pestilence, and illness. Those are apart of the fallen world too and will continue until Jesus returns. "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." Romans 8:22
To sum up, the world is a hot mess. This is what it looks like when God is pushed out of the picture and sin is prevailing. Here's a breakdown of the issues:
1| Little god Complex
One of the issues is a god complex. The popular lie that we can be a god or a goddess is detrimental in the end as we do not have that kind of power and it brews pride and entitlement. That's all. There's no need for God when we think we deserve something, or can harness our own power. This belief of being gods is spewing with new age taking over the Western world - tarot cards, crystals, rocks, white magic, reiki, and law of attraction. The truth is that you were not designed to be a god, you were designed to be a human. God did design us in His image (Genesis 1:27), but that does not mean that you will be omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. God created us to worship Him, not the other way around.
Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:18-19
As Proverbs 16 points out, pride and arrogance is a way of destruction. It is not something that develops good character, or wisdom as the only thought is self. "I deserve this. I know what's best. I am divine." Sound familiar?
Proverbs was written by King Solomon who sought wisdom from God rather than following his own. The book reflects that wisdom Solomon received from God and when reading Proverbs there are plenty of truths and principles that will help a person reflect and grow. It is very applicable through the ages.
To sum up this first point, God will not honor the prideful, but will let the prideful lead themselves to their own destruction, which is also talked about in James 4:6, "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” A world with people walking around with a god complex is not going to do very well.
2| Anger
Another issue, and related to the first issue, is that people are angry and bitter at God. Some are angry because they don't like His word as it's too judgmental or a killjoy. They want to sin and like it. They looked at the word of God (the Bible) and it means giving up and changing too much. It doesn't look like love, but hate. BUT God does love you and I, He does.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Romans 5:8
God sent His own son, Jesus, to die on the cross, cover our sins, and give us eternal life. That's love.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29 assures us that God has plans and they are for our good if we follow Him. God didn't create the ten commandments to ruin your life. God gave Moses the ten commandments because the Israelites needed guidance. And we all need guidance. For example coveting (Exodus 20:17), when has coveting ever led to good results? It creates bitterness, jealousy, obsession, broke bank accounts, theft, and for some, murderous thoughts. Those are all not good and I would hope we could agree on that. The interesting thing about that example is that it includes other commandments. It's a snowball effect and that is how sin works...make room for one sin and it leads to other sins and consequences. God's instruction is to guide us, give us hope, create a future, and keep us from destruction.
3| Wants
Related to pride and anger, some people are just down right stomping ground because He didn't give them what they want. Unfortunately, many are taught that praying to God is like a list to santa or three wishes to a genie. They are not taught that asking God doesn't always mean your preferred timing or yes...it sometimes means waiting or no.
"All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established." Proverbs 16:2-3
Proverbs 16 speaks to this that our perspective and expectations can get in the way of God's work. Our perspective can cloud and dictate our expectations, so when we don't get our way, we don't get God. For those following their wants, they're always going to be biased about the benefits they deserve. They will pray for their benefit and desires only. This really comes down to the condition of the heart...who and what are you living for? Yourself? A phrase my dad used to say to me, "Why do you deserve to be happy?" Even though we jokingly use the phrase today, it's true, why do we deserve anything? We are sinners who need Jesus. We have all fallen short and have all broken the law of God. We deserve the wages of sin, which is death. At the end of the day when we get honest, don't we just think of ourselves mostly? So again, what makes you more worthy than anyone else? Any blessings we get from above should be seen as merciful and gracious...not deserved and based on our own entitlement.
Furthermore, some Christians believe that nothing bad should happen to them because they have God, but that's just not true. 2 Timothy 3:12 reminds us: "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Christians still will go through hard times on earth, but it is to grow our character and trust in God. Trials encourage prayer and fellowship with God. If things were always great, it would be easy to become complacent. We would miss the opportunity to see His greatness and grace.
4| Pain
Another issue that can relate to the previous issues is that some people are hurt because they feel rejected or ignored by God. These are people struggling with pain that's physical or emotional. This is the toughest of them all and one I've watched this with my mom battling chronic pain for years. I am reminded of the trials of Job. Job could not understand why he lost everything and it put his trust in God to the test.
Job was a man of God and was considered greatest among the men of the East. You would say he had it all, but then he looses his children, property, and health. After these terrible things, his wife encourages him to curse God and die (classy) and then his friends (3 at least) beat him down stating he sinned so he was punished, which was not the reason. Overall, Job was a mess to say the least. But in Job 38-41, God finally answers Job (4 Chapters in length) by describing His greatness and creation on earth, which shows and reminds Job of His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. Job responds to God:
"I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, "Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?" Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." Job 42:2-3
Job needed to grow in his understanding and trust of God, which he does with humility. The result is him being blessed even more than in the beginning. Job needed to wait on the Lord and let Him work it out.
"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:14
I know this is hard when you are in pain to wait on the Lord, but I don't think David (literally hunted by his Father in Law) in Psalm would encourage courage unless it was that important. We have to sometimes take courage in God and withstand. I do not say this lightly as I know this is not easy when pain is involved, but sometimes waiting and trusting is what is necessary for us. It is hard, but the result will be greater than the pain.
5| Love the World
A last issue is that people love and relish the world. It's just that simple. It can be a love for obvious evil, or worldly possessions. Either way, they do not fear God.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of the life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17
The above verse in 1 John shows that our love, lust, and pride in this life can actually take our life away as we will not abide with God forever. We instead put our faith in things that are passing away and are not eternal. "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26.
In the end you have to decide if you will be about flesh or faith. It comes down to a decision, which we all get to make. I will say that the troubles and problems I have had in my life are met by God head on. I sometimes have on-going problems that are meant to grow me and teach me to trust Him. Other situational problems are resolved by Him and His time. It requires trust and praying for His will, not my own, in my life.
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
A recent real life example was my husband and I went to Costco as we were in need of different shoes - he needed slippers and I needed boots for mucking. We got to the shoe area and they were sold out of both...made sense with it being Winter. We walked around and noticed a cart that was being used to put back returned items. On the cart, to our surprise, was one pair of the slippers in my husband's size and one pair of rubber boots in my size - the exact shoes we needed. We're talking small needs, but I was blown away as we had just come from the truck dealership where we were facing an expensive bill for a repair and the end total was $0. I was so bowled over by God provision as my husband and I had prayed for His will in our concerns and trust that He had our best interest at hand. It just shows how God does care about the smallest details of your life if you allow Him to guide you. You have to put your faith and trust in Him...not yourself.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
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