Consequences


Consequences. I have been thinking of the word all week. A simple definition for this word is the fruit of choices. When we make good choices, it results in good consequences. When we make bad choices, it results in bad consequences and no one, I mean no one, likes the fruit of bad choices. We would rather God miraculously deliver us from the situation we got ourselves into.

I learned this through my dental ordeal. It was only an ordeal because I failed to go to the dentist every year. I failed to brush for two minutes twice a day and floss. I would eat all the candy and other stuff throughout the day and go to bed with all that stuff still on my teeth. It was my fault and now, though my teeth and gums are healthy I will have to go to the dentist every three months instead of twice a year.

This is an just example of one of my consequences. I was thinking on all of this and while on the way home from Zumba, the Lord spoke to my heart as I was getting off the freeway. He said, "My grace is sufficient through the consequences." I thought, "Yes it is."

We all have suffered consequences from bad choices in life. The blessing for the believer is that after salvation, the sin is under the blood. However, now even though saved, we still have to deal with the consequences. Yes, we have to deal with the consequences of bankruptcy, babies out of wed lock and other bad decisions, but God's grace is sufficient if we repent and trust Him through it all.

Paul asked the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh three times. We do the same by asking Him to deliver us from current consequences that have been birthed out of bad choices. Notice the Lord's response to Paul's request in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”

I know that dealing with the fruit of poor decisions never feels good, and we all wish for instant deliverance. Oh, but God has a way of using our weakness and turn it into His strength. Besides, truth be told, now that we have to deal with the fruit, we are in a prime position to trust God to work it all out for the good (Romans 8:28).

Not only does He work it out for the good, the Father, in His infinite wisdom is teaching use where our true sufficiency lies. 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 says, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Had we not been in this predicament, pride may have welled up in our hearts declaring, "I did this!" However, the thorn produced humility, enabling us to realize and know that our sufficiency is of God.

So, don't regret the choices or the consequences. Rejoice and know that God's grace is sufficient! With His help, we win and the consequences will work out for our good.

Prevailing in Him,

Dr. Sheila

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