Suffering

 

    When we fail in our faith we may be surprised to find ourselves suffering, but what may be even more surprising is that your sins can cause other people to suffer.  Your life choices affect other people even if you are not aware of it.  

    There is generational sin which means that your children an their children may inherit the same weakness for a certain are to sin.  There is also other people carrying out the punishment for your sin.  In the old testament, there are stories to back this up.  There was a man that took something forbidden and when he was caught he was stoned to death along with his entire family and all their animals.  So when you sin, your loved ones may pay the price.  Even animals are affected.

    How a parent chooses to live influences their children.  Children learn more from watching and experiencing life with their parents than they do from the "lessons" that their parents try to teach.  You can't go to church on Sunday and be one way and then live an entirely different way the rest of the week.  The children see and learn from that.

    When the Hebrews got to the promised land, 10 men were sent to spy out the land for 40 days to learn what they could.  Eight of the ten came back in fear.  They convinced the counsel that they were not strong enough to fight the people that inhabited the land.  Their fear led to doubt.  They put God in a box of unbelief.  They didn't believe that He could get them their land even though He had promised it to them.  

    These eight men led the nation to wonder for 40 years without a home through unfaithfulness.  The Hebrew nation never was able to settle or stay anywhere more than a few days at a time.  They were not welcome anywhere they went.  It was a lonely consequence that caused suffering for everyone.

    Sin is bondage.  The bondage is painful.  God set boundaries for our own good, but also so we would realize just how much we need Him.  He challenges us to step out in faith.  He warns us of the consequences of sin.  He never steps out of His Word.  He always lets people know what to expect: sin leads to judgment.  Judgment leads to suffering.  The ultimate judgment leads to eternal suffering.  There is no escape from the truth.  

    Suffering is caused by the destruction, bleakness, and death that sin causes.  If you don't want that existence, then your only other option is to turn to Jesus.  Choose a life of faith.  Faithful obedience leads to paradise.  We don't have to wonder aimlessly and unwanted.  We can claim aspects of Heaven here on earth.  We can live in joy, hope, and peace now.  You have to fight for that at times, but fighting for your faith is never a lonely fight.  God is always there with those that choose the lifestyle of the holy.

Numbers 14:13-25, Matthew 5:3-12, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, & 1 Peter 4:12-13