We Have Created the Circumstances of Our Hardships

If you pause and think about it, it is we who have created many of the circumstances that lead to our hardship and suffering. Maybe we staked some crypto or bought some worthless coins and lost our money. Perhaps we forgot our seed words to our wallets and lost our crypto that we had been holding.

Maybe we made a large purchase and then found we did not have enough money for food to get us through to the end of the month. Or when we went out for the evening and beyond the witching hour found ourselves victims of criminals.

Decisions

Obviously, we all make many decisions throughout each day and not all of them turn out the way we planned. My sister just made a bad choice. She chose to play video games for hours on her smartphone instead of doing her high school algebra modules. She texted me and asked me for rush assistance and load. I was super busy at the time.

I sent her some load but I only did 40 questions of her 80 quadratic equations. I informed here that if she did not finish the other 40 she would be temporarily cut off from load and other funding for her school work. Harsh? No, it was discipline.

Discipline

Most of us despise discipline. We fail to realize it is for our own good. Now when I say discipline, I don't mean physical abuse, but rather paying a price for something we did wrong. Punishment or disciplinary measures are our teachers to take another direction in life, to teach us a valuable lesson.

Sometimes we have to be disciplined multiple times before we learn our lesson. When we make poor decisions the end results can be minor or result in exceptional loss and hardship.

Yesterday I was reading the New York Post. Four teenagers were out late at night. One teen of 16 saw his ex girlfriend with another 16-year-old teen. A friend of their's had also tagged along with the new couple.

When the trio exited a convenience store, the lone teen opened fire with a pistol and killed the boy who was dating his ex girlfriend. The friend of the couple shot back but missed the killer. The murderer was arrested and tossed in jail.

Here's the kicker. All involved had made bad decisions that lead up to the moment. Two things popped into my mind when I read the tragic story. One, what were they all doing out at 2 a.m. in the morning? And two, why were at least two individuals carrying guns? These two poor decisions cost two lives: one deceased, and the killer will be spending a lot of time in a New York prison.

Diaspora

We all make poor decisions and eventually pay the price for our errant thinking and actions. Look at the remnant of Israel. They had been taken captive to Babylon for their persistent disobedience to God and the forsaking of the covenant. The remnant had begun to make their way back to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the city.

Their lives were simply not easy, not all peaches and cream, but they had created the circumstance of their hardship. It was their constant rebellion and their abject wickedness that brought God’s discipline into their lives. 

Now God had out it on the heart of Ezra to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and he got right to work. Hear what he said to his people:

"Now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage”(Ezra 9:8-9, NIV).

We see that that generation of people were not perfect or always obedient. I’m certainly not, either. And you are not. Sometimes God brings discipline into our lives to help us and teach us to do the next right thing. But He also brings restoration and renewal and hope! 

Here is a valuable lesson to remember. Let's not make any attempt to hide our mistakes and poor decisions in life from God. Instead, let us say, “Lord Jesus, this is who I am. Please help me.” The good news is, He certainly will.