The older I get, the more I look back and see the extent of God’s providential care in my life and the lives of my brethren. God knows what he is doing, and we are well advised to cry out for more insight into His workings.
Since our first parents were expelled from the Garden, life has been tough. All of us have had our struggles and anticipate more to come.
The beautiful thing, of course, is that Jesus has restored, for those who want it, man’s relationship with God. Thus, Christians look forward to the hope of being with Him for eternity in heaven. But the weeds and the pain are still with us in all their various forms.
As much as every parent would like to protect their child from all of the hurtful happenings in life, they cannot. In fact, when some have intervened to protect that child from facing criticism, failure, and the consequences of their shortcomings, they have ended up slowing that child’s journey to maturity. Instead, it is the job of every parent and mentor to guide the child in paths of godly wisdom.
Harder still, is when a child or loved one will not see that the struggles of this world are man-made. Adam and Eve wrecked their lives through disobedience to God’s will and suffered the consequences. Now, when trying to “Turn many to righteousness” we must be careful to place the blame firmly at the feet of the sinner–you and me! That is, every human being of accountable age–since The Garden Incident–who has also wilfully sinned against God’s will.
To fail to communicate the fact that it is a person’s sins that has brought into their life both spiritual death and the consequences of their actions, is to miss the point of Jesus’ mission. Yes, Jesus has taken away the Eternal consequences of our sin, but while still here, we rely on his strength and wisdom to negotiate the struggles of this life.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).