Whose fault is it, really?
Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. – Jonah 1:17, KJV
Anxiety. Fear. Financial trouble. Bitterness. Chronic disease. Jealousy. Addiction. Family problems. Work-related troubles. These, and many other of life’s problems, can hit us at any time. Sometimes, these things come upon us through no fault of our own. But, more often than we would like to admit, they come upon us because we are at fault.
For what are we at fault? Not obeying God’s Word in all aspects of our lives. One of the most striking reports of trouble in the Bible is found in the Book of Jonah. Jonah’s trip to the whale’s belly for three days and three nights was horrific, but Jonah and Jonah alone was to blame for the trauma he endured. Had he obeyed God from the get-go, he would not have suffered the terrible consequences that disobedience to God’s commands brings.
In many cases, we have no one to blame but ourselves when we suffer the troubles of life. We read God’s Word. We hear God’s Word. We may even meditate on God’s Word. But we don’t apply God’s Word, and when we fail to apply God’s Word, we fail to enjoy the benefits of obedience. Instead, we suffer the consequences of disobedience.
If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then research the Bible verses that apply to your dilemma and determine whether or not you are in full compliance with God’s Word. If you are, then the trouble is not your fault. If you are not, then take the blame that is rightfully yours, obey God’s Word, and apply His precepts to your life. You won’t regret it!
No one is or has ever been in full compliance with God’s word.
Thanks for the comment! I would agree with your statement when it comes to life as a whole. We all sin (that is, after all, what noncompliance with God’s Word is), and our sin brings us trouble. But, in particular matters of trouble, it is possible to suffer trouble that is not a result of our personal sin. For example, Abel, Joseph, Daniel, and Stephen all suffered persecution, but in none of these cases does the Bible identify their personal sin as the cause of their suffering. Ironically, it was their faithfulness to God that brought on their persecution, which is why their examples are a good reminder that, even when we are faithful to God, trouble may still come.
So, my meaning behind the phrase “full compliance with God’s Word” was not “full compliance with God’s Word in everything.” My meaning was intended to be much more narrow, i.e., “full compliance with God’s Word in that particular area of your life where your trouble lies.” In other words, “Is your trouble a result of your sin? Or, are you obedient in this matter, and is your trouble a result of something outside of yourself?”
Thank you for the opportunity to clarify! 🙂