Sin Has Consequences
Sin will always destroy. We think at times that we will get away with it, but there's not a single sin that won't be or hasn't been paid for. But there are also times when our sin has ripple effects that work themselves out throughout our entire lives. This is the case in my life and is a current reality that I continue to work through by the grace of God. I have 2 daughters with another woman who isn't nor ever was my wife. This was before the Lord saved me, but nevertheless was all of my doing, selfishness and sin. Because of my actions, my daughters spent many of their earliest years without their father, and are now forced, of no fault of their own, to live a life in a manner that God never intended. Having to split their time between mommy and daddy's house.
There are many who think that once you begin walking with the Lord, everything just has a way of working itself out. That's why we often see Christians struggle so much when trials or difficulties enter our lives. But that's not the promise of God. We are not told it will all work itself out, but rather that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God", which can often mean more difficult trials not less difficult ones. In my own life, I am currently in a season of seeing how my sin and own wickedness has impacted those I love which is indeed a very difficult trial. He is revealing to me that though He has saved me, and all of my sin has been paid for by the blood of Christ, it still has real consequences continuing to be felt not just by me, but also those around me. Fifteen years ago, I wasn't concerned about what my actions would produce today. But today you better believe I am concerned with what those actions have produced and how they have created struggles for my two girls that I can't take away.
This morning I was reading Psalm 43, and verse 5 just resonated with me so much, "why are you in despair, my soul? and why are you restless within me?" During moments in life, where we are faced with any trial there can be this very real feeling of despair and restlessness. But where does it turn us, do we look to our culture and try to find blame there? In my case the temptation is to say, oh well that was when I didn't know God and brush it off. We, or at least I know, that I often want to avoid the work that is being done in my soul and get back to focusing on the victory. But the rest of this verse gives us the right response. "Wait for God, for I will again praise Him. For the help of His presence, my God." Here is what I'm to do, and you if you find yourself in a similar season, WAIT. There's no rushing Gods work.
So, here is what I hope you will take away from this. First, that our sin has been paid for by Jesus doesn't mean we get to escape all temporal consequences of said sin. So, when consequences come, try not to avoid them. Instead recognize where our responsibility lies, submit to God and His work in us. Where we need to repent, we do so, where we still need to seek forgiveness we do so, because all of this is about being further conformed to His image. Secondly, don't try to rush back towards happier days, if the psalms teach us anything, they definitely teach that the people of God experience plenty of hardship and dark days, but He is always working in the midst of them. Instead, we wait on Him, for we will again praise Him for the help of His presence. It is hard to praise God in this season and yet of course I will still do so as my circumstances are not the cause of my praise. Nevertheless, I long for the day that I praise Him again without any struggle.
By the grace of God, I know that He will be glorified in this trial and that whatever the outcome in my life, He holds it all in His hands. I also know that I stand forgiven by Him for all my sin, and yet I am still broken over all of it. Perhaps more broken over it today than I was when I was first convicted and there is nothing in my current state that brings relief except for the cross of Christ. As I consider how broken I feel, I look up to how broken His body was for that same sin. As I consider how helpless I am to bring relief to my girls, I consider how Jesus, though God, surrendered and obeyed even to death on the cross. I take comfort in the fact that because He died and was raised on the third day conquering death, these temporal consequences I face today are not eternal consequences by grace through faith in Him. Whereas a father I failed my children, and even now I continue to do so I can point them to a heavenly Father who will never fail them and a savior in whom they too can take comfort. I praise God for showing me that in all of this, Jesus remains my only hope.