The deceit of disobedience is that it can feel like liberation, but the consequences will show up one way or another.
I read an article on the goal of parenting (through a faith lens) and it talked about how the ultimate goal of parenting is not just about behaviour management but about heart realignment because folly is bound up in a heart of a child, and discipline is what drives it far from him. The ultimate job of the parent is to be God’s tool to turn the child’s heart towards Him.
This got me thinking about how when one refuses discipline, whether it’s being administered directly by God or through parents in a parent-child relationship, the rebel is the one who really suffers the consequences of their rebellion. When we rebel, we ultimately hurt ourselves the most. All rebellion is rebellion against God of course, but let’s think about it in the context of relationships between parents and children for a second.
A little disclaimer: let’s assume that the parent in question is wise, kind, and what people would generally consider a good, proactive parent.
Consider a teenager who is friends with questionable people and occasionally dabbles in petty criminal activity. Let’s call him JB…After a disagreement with his dad, JB refuses to listen to his dad Sam and goes out with one of the friends, Taylor, who he knows his dad doesn’t like. This is a misguided attempt to get back at his dad of course. One thing leads to another, and JB finds himself involved in an armed robbery charge because he didn’t know his friend Taylor had a knife when they stole a few drinks from the local shop. JB ends up with a criminal record, and I’m sure we can all agree that can create barriers that JB may not have considered when he decided to curve his dad’s advice.
In such a situation, I’m sure underneath the anger, Sam’s heart would naturally break for JB and there would be a sadness about his son’s future prospects. However, when life gets real and JB is dealing with rejection from various avenues of society due to the criminal record, it’s his own life that is directly affected and possibly delayed by his actions while Sam’s life will most likely continue on whatever trajectory it was on before. Though he may try to help JB where he can, Sam cannot go through JB’s consequences for him.
I believe the same is true of our relationship with God. Our rebellion and rejection of the Father and His commandments hurt the Lord because He loves us. However, when we reject Him and His direction, we are the ones who end up separated from the Source of everything we need. Whether we reject Him or not, God will still be in heaven, eternally living His best life…meanwhile the rebel stays in a bondage that deceitfully feels like freedom.
Like JB, we can be mistaken in thinking we have freedom and autonomy when we knowingly act against the Lord, but really, we’re walking straight into foolishness that has covert consequences that become apparent later.
Though the Lord will guide us, He will not force us to obey or surrender to His will (though I really wish He would sometimes so I wouldn’t have to make certain decisions…). I’ve often found that when I knowingly disobeyed because His instruction seemed too hard, the consequences eventually become apparent, and the tragedy is that I am worse off than if I had just endured the discipline.
There is hope though, we can admit our weaknesses to Him and ask for His help. We were not created to do life without Him.
Seek the Lord while He may still be found, He is already waiting for you. He is a Restorer and will surely restore the past in a way we could never do for ourselves.