It’s not God… it’s us.
There are often times in our lives when we really struggle to understand… Why?!?!
And this is usually aimed at God, whether or not specifically by name.
Why do the conniving and powerful get away with injustice?
Why are the impoverished left to starve?
Why are the innocent condemned and abused?
Why is God allowing evil?
On one hand we have the general state of things. This world is no longer as God created it (Genesis 1:31). Its original goodness was lost to the fall and curse of sin. All creation longs to be made new (Romans 8:20-22) and one day will be (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1, 5).
On the other we have the specific problem of sin. In this context, it’s good for us to remember God’s restraint in the sense of His mercy toward all who rebel and take advantage of their free-will. He could unleash perfect and complete justice and retribution this very instant… and one day He will, but that timing is up to Him. In the meantime, God mercifully holds things together – in spite of us.
But there’s something else we should consider about the state of society and the things we see around the world that just leave us gutted – what happens when God chooses to withdraw?
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or His ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
Isaiah 59:1-2
The next few verses go on to describe a societal state not unlike that which we experience. Unrepentant sin – in word, thought, and deed – breeds and multiplies throughout a society, bringing ignorance and confusion and chaos and frustration and desperation and darkness. Justice and righteousness are withheld. Truth is ignored, rejected, and lost. Delusion multiplies. The kingdom of self reigns supreme as everyone does what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25, Proverbs 21:2).
But, again – it’s not that God is deaf or blind or powerless. There’s simply a point at which a society separates itself from God.
This next thought is even more terrifying… far worse than God’s restraint. To rebel against God and grieve His Holy Spirit can lead to God becoming an enemy of and directly fighting against a society (Isaiah 63:10).
And this isn’t all just in the societal context. We are warned by the Apostle Paul that we who belong to God can grieve and quench His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Both of these warnings come in the context of our responsibility to live in righteousness and holiness – in peace and purity.
We cannot seek to pray and live in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:5-6) and produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and receive the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) – all while grieving or quenching the very same Spirit!
This is as foolish as a society longing for peace and justice and mercy and love – all the things that are in and of God Himself – all while that same society is either denying His existence or ignoring what He requires of us (Micah 6:8).
It all comes down to this… all these symptoms of this cancer better known as sin, whether recognized within ourselves or witnessed throughout society, have but one true remedy – confession of the sin itself before the Cross of Jesus Christ so that forgiveness and the healing of repentance can bring restoration – first within us and then throughout our societies… these lands of exile that we inhabit until Jesus’ return.
God is more than able. The question is whether we are willing.