Suffering and Foolish Choices – Causes of Suffering #4

It’s easy to blame God for our suffering. But have you ever wondered if many of our problems are caused by our own foolish choices? It’s easier to see that many of our social problems stem from foolish political choices.

We’re in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Wouldn’t it be foolish to ignore social distancing rules and use of masks and then blame God for [image error]contracting a deadly case of the virus? Or consider the choice China apparently made to suppress news of this new virus for weeks and weeks, persecuting those who raised the alarm. By the time news of its spread got out it was too late. Travelers from China had spread throughout the globe. Very unwise.

Consider a much more mundane set of choices. Too often I allow price to determine my choices rather than quality. I once bought a pair of attractive loafers because they were half price. They were a bit tight, but so desirable. That purchase doomed me to pinched toes until I had to get rid of the shoes. I could give other illustrations but they would be too embarrassing.

Even when I determine to balance quality against price, it’s not always easy to make a good choice in our media-saturated world. One report lists butter as harmful to our arteries. Another labels margarine as a dangerous culprit. Or take coffee, or chocolate. How do we navigate through all the shoals that we’re told can shipwreck our lifeboat? [image error]

Doubtless, bad choices can lead to great harm. Some of those bad choices are clear. Smoking. Overeating. Taking addictive drugs. Avoiding exercise. A steady diet of high calorie fast-foods. Too much sugar. Watching pornography. Sleeping with prostitutes. Drunkenness. The list is long; the effects devastating in terms of ill health, lost jobs and broken relationships.

Many of our bad choices lead to long-term suffering, or at least, suffering that catches up with us as we age. Why do we choose things we know will be harmful? Often, it’s to find immediate pleasure through gratifying a craving. Lust banishes reason both in relationships and diet. The book of Proverbs warns us about the consequences of sexual indulgence.

The battle of the bulge and clogging arteries warn us about eating too many donuts and cookies and mega-burgers. But they taste so good! Indulge. Enjoy right now. Personally, I don’t think there is anything wrong with an occasional indulgence but the danger occurs when indulgence becomes a habit.

The danger is magnified when the indulgence breaks one of God’s commandments. Outbursts of anger can not only shatter relationships, but, as Jesus said, even lead to murder. One pilfered item from a warehouse or an act of cheating can encourage a lifestyle of dishonesty that ultimately ends in incarceration. Envy or jealousy indulged can foster lifelong discontent. One act of adultery might ruin a marriage or promote a careless approach to marital fidelity or lead to catching a sexually transmitted disease.

So why is there suffering in the world? Much of it can be traced to human foolishness, indulgence, sinfulness and ignorance. We would be wise to re-read the book of Proverbs often. “He who speaks rashly will come to ruin. The sluggard craves and gets nothing…Dishonest money dwindles away…”(Prov. 13:3b, 4a, 11a).

Fortunately, God is a forgiving God. There is no sin—no matter how grave—that He will not forgive if we bow in repentance and lift our eyes in faith toward Jesus Christ, God’s Son. “His blood can make the foulest clean.” Forgiveness, however, does not necessarily deliver us from the practical consequences of our sins. The forgiven smoker will still have damaged lungs. The forgiven murderer will still have to finish out his jail sentence. The indulgent eater who is forgiven may still have clogged arteries.

Let’s not blame God for the suffering we cause. Instead let’s make wise and godly choices.

Let me know what you think about this issue. (Further articles, books, and stories at: http://www.countrywindow.ca ; Facebook: Eric E Wright ; Twitter: @EricEWright1 ; LinkedIn: Eric Wright )[image error]