God Knows the Cause

They will console you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says the Lord God.

Ezekiel 14:23 (RSV)

In this passage, we see God addressing Ezekiel, declaring to him that if He were to decide to raise His hand against a land—even if Noah (for his righteousness), Daniel (for his faithfulness), and Job (for his perseverance) were present within it—all three combined would be unable to save a single member of their own families. At first glance, this might seem somewhat severe on God's part to the eyes of those who perceive divine justice merely as a license to live in sin without suffering the consequences. Yet, throughout this chapter—and many others—we discover a God who is both just and full of love.

God never acts by chance or on a whim, as a human being might. He always warns us in advance of what might occur, or of what He will bring to pass, depending on whether we obey or disobey His precepts. However difficult we may find them, God's precepts do not exist solely to expose our sins; rather, they exist to enable us to be holy—just as God is holy—and to bear His image, exactly as He originally created us to do. It is this specific aspect of God's plan—one that we often overlook—that leads us to reject His precepts. Fully aware of our tendency to go astray, God always takes care to reveal to us the thoughts of His heart in response to our unfaithfulness.

There is absolutely no doubt about this: God has no intention of punishing us, nor does He intend to reject us if we turn away from Him. He knows our weaknesses and our follies; If He allows certain things to occur in our lives, it is often to spare us from something far worse—for living apart from God invites into our lives disasters far greater than does His discipline, the purpose of which is to transform us. Do not imagine that God does not see you amidst your current trials; not only does He see them, but He allows them to occur for a specific purpose. Nothing escapes His control. If these trials are not present to correct you, then they are assuredly there to transform you. Rejoice in God’s corrections, for one day, the outcome will give you every reason to proclaim that He is Lord. Do not wait for the final result to offer Him your praise; do so right now, even as the trial assails you.

May God’s grace and peace be with you.