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Believing A Lie
Believing a Lie
“And for his cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” - 2 Thessalonians 2:11,12
Joel happened to meet a friend of his at a restaurant. He knew Joel had been seeing a marriage counselor. He asked Joel how his marriage was going.
“Not too well,” Joel said. Joel spoke of his wife as a constant nag and had decided a divorce was the only way to resolve his problem. Joel asked his friend, “What do you think?”
“I think that is ridiculous!” said the man. For the next several minutes he rebuked and exhorted Joel to work at his marriage. “You can make it work if you really want to”, said the man.
Joel did not want to be reminded of his responsibility as a Christian and a husband to his wife. “I just do not think God ever intended for me to be unhappy,” he said.
Many view God as only a “happiness-giving-God”. Whether the matter involves a bad marriage, the church they attend, where they live, or the career they have chosen. God is not one who would want us to be unhappy. People equate happiness with pleasing God. When in reality, their mind is not transformed by the will of God, but it is transformed to their selfish thinking.
There are a lot of people who believe the “I’ve-got-to-feel-good” lie. Murder would feel good to the person who wants revenge. Lying would feel good to keep from paying so much tax. Others feel good about wearing clothes that are short, tight, sloppy, or revealing. Some would not be involved in religion if it did not feel good. Why does walking out of a marriage feel good rather than working through your problems?
Do not lose sight of Jesus’ sufferings! It did not feel good to be crucified, nor for God to watch it. It was done because God knew it was for our good. He did not do it to make us feel good but to allow us to have the opportunity to enjoy the true blessedness of being in his kingdom (Matthew 5:1-12). Although Romans 8:28 says “all things work together for good”, that does not mean what we view as good (i.e. divorce, choosing your own church, division, etc.).
What works for good is not what we feel, but what God says. Feel good is not one of the benefits of being a disciple. What God wants is for us to do good and let Him provide the corresponding blessings. If being a disciple of Christ is your desire, then soberly consider what our Lord said one must do in Luke 14:27: “Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple”.
