I may have mentioned this in an earlier article (or perhaps several?), but there’s no real place for any of us to complain when our hardships are directly related to our own sins, especially if we’re still practicing those sins:
- The one who gossips maliciously about others can’t really complain to God when no one else wants to be their friend anymore and no one will share with them what is on their heart.
- The one who abuses their spouse doesn’t really have any room to protest when that spouse leaves for safety with the children.
- Similarly, the Israelites had no right to claim God’s blessings when they were actively worshiping idols and practicing the very sins that God had told them would result in negative consequences
(See also James 1:6-8, for another example of the futility of expecting something from God when our heart isn’t right.)
So, what is the right thing to do when suffering? How about this?
Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven, and say:
“We have sinned and rebelled
and you have not forgiven.
Lamentations 3:40-42 NIV
In modern language, we should “check ourselves”, inspecting our own lives for sins.
Do you remember what 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 says about examining ourselves before taking the Lord’s Supper? That passage might not be about the same exact sin as the author of Lamentations 3 was talking about, but it’s a good reminder that – although not all of our suffering is directly related to our own personal sins – sometimes we are just getting a portion of what we deserve. (See also 2 Corinthians 13:5-6)
When we realize that we should “check ourselves”, this can be tricky. After all, it’s a lot easier to “check other people”, pointing out their sins. It’s a lot easier to tell other people – like Job’s “friends”, or the disciples in John 9:1-5 – that they must be sinning badly if they are hurting (which, by the way, isn’t necessarily an accurate conclusion).
As the passage above talks about, we should “return to” God. When we do, we should confess our sins. Compared to judging others, it can be more difficult to inspect our own lives honestly, and to be courageous enough to admit if we have sinned ourselves.
Sins – especially that we want to stop…which should be all of them – aren’t something to keep to ourselves. Now, when I say that we shouldn’t keep our sins to ourselves, I certainly don’t want us to drag other people into our sins! Instead, we should confess them to God, and (at the right time and place) confess them to each other, as well, for the purpose of getting rid of them with help from the family of God.
It is often a sign of strength to humbly admit to other Christians that certain sins have gotten us stuck, and that we need help to get out of them. (And, then we should use all of the resources available to us, including the Holy Spirit and other followers of Jesus around us, to move back into God’s will.)
Chapter 3 of Lamentations doesn’t end here, though. When the author cries out to God, what happened, as described in Verses 55-58?
- When the author asked that God hear him…God heard him.
- When the author called to God, God came near, and told him not to fear.
Ultimately, God stepped in – using what sounds like legal terms – and “redeemed” the author here. The verdict was guilty, and the sentence was punishment, but – as we know now – God paid the price so that justice was still served, but those who follow Him can still go free (see Romans 3:25-26).
As a result, let us remember that those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior have been redeemed. Our life was forfeited because of our actions, but God bought us off of “death row”. He didn’t pay a price that was so dear to Himself just so that we could return to a “life of crime”, though. He redeemed us to live a better life, which He – having both vast wisdom and vast love – knows best for us.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for May 28, 2023
References:
- The Lookout, May 28, 2023, © 2023 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Jeremiah-Lamentations, by Timothy M. Willis. © 2002 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 