Thirty Day Challenge – Day Twenty Five – Avoiding Consequences

Greetings Dear Reader,

“Father, please show me my sin.”

Some years ago I was talking with a friend about something he had done and the results.  I pointed out that what was happening was a consequence of what he had done.  He looked me in the eye and said, “I don’t want there to be consequences.”  That friend has since walked away from his faith and I know this is part of the reason.

I often do foolish things and then ask God for there to be no consequences.  I do not want a problem with my blood sugar after I eat pie at nine at night.  But the bad blood sugar is a consequence of not eating right for twenty years.  I do not want there to be results from my causes.  There are and I need to accept it.

I find that things go much easier if I accept the consequences and move on to the lesson I am to learn.  This, however, is not my nature.  It is how I should be but I would much rather do the enjoyable wrong and avoid the guilt and recompense.  We have all kinds of names for this.  We talk about paying the piper, chickens coming home to roost, and getting one’s comeuppance.  These are all things I beg God to avoid.

Once when Bezel was small he had done wrong.  I sat him down and explained what he had done and why it was wrong.  He knew it was a punishable offense in our home and began to cry.  I held him close and told him that I wanted to teach him about mercy and that would be no punishment.  He smiled and hugged me close.  A few days later he committed the same offense.  When I started to explain what his punishment would be he smiled his winsome smile and said, “I was hoping I could learn some more about mercy.”

I know that this is exactly what I do with God and must learn the lessons and avoid the desire to learn mercy over the consequences for my sin.  I am sure God is merciful to me in ways I do not even realize. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."