Does God punish us?
Have you understood the weight and responsibility of freedom or have you constantly tried to sign your decisions with the name of God?
Have you remembered that even though everything is released to you, not everything builds your life?
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive“
Divine punishment
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Father, serve one another humbly in love“
Galatians 5:13
It is normal (but should not be) to hear the phrase “God punishes” as a warning to stop acting in some way, transforming the fear we should have into God by fear, distorting the image of a loving God and merciful, placing in His hands a whip.
I see that this phrase arose in the face of a difficulty that human beings have in assuming responsibility. We celebrate the freedom of choice that God gives us, but after we choose, we want Him to take the blame for our bad choices.
It’s not fair to blame the tools if we are the ones operating them.
The planting brings a harvest
“…A man reaps what he sows”
Galatians 6:7
It’s beautiful how such a powerful God is humbled to hand power of choice to us who are nothing. And along with that freedom, He also gives us access to the wisdom and discernment to make those choices with Him.
The problem is that we often take the power and leave the responsibilities aside.
When we know how to do something, we take the lead in a situation linked to that something. If on a trip someone says they want a dish X and among those people there is a cook who specializes in that dish, he will want to take the lead and do what he loves, because he is the best at it. God knows everything and has power over everything, He could do this to us too. But He allows us to choose from the beginning of time. Even having given up His Son to forgive our choices, He continues to let us plan our steps.
Sow with Him
“And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die“
Genesis 2:16,17
God gave the power of choice to Adam and Eve, advised on these choices and, even with the entire garden at their disposal, they wanted precisely the only detail that was not allowed.
Would it be fair to blame God? Maybe say “but why did He put a tree that couldn’t?”. Simple, because He put more millions than they could and we are not children, He doesn’t need to put locks on the doors so we don’t force them and open them. He wants us to desire Him and choose to live His will. From the moment He already said that going through a certain door is not good for us, if we go through it will be our decision that will have consequences for us, based on those choices.
Don’t blame God for the decisions you’ve made. If you want to reap what comes from God, you must first plant something that comes from God.
Let Him guide your steps to the best path, deciding with confidence in His word.
by
Rapha Abreu
Rapha Abreu é Jornalista e Produtora cultural, e faz parte da equipe de marketing, redação e produção de conteúdo da Mr. Rocco.
