The economic news is not good. Another quarter like the last and we’ll be back in recession. Is your family feeling the economic pinch?
Blame the economy on whomever you want; the Bible puts our troubles in a larger context. “Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it?” (Amos 3:6) That doesn’t mean that God caused the Great Recession and this sputtering recovery. Like so many other troubles we have, our self-centeredness, our undisciplined stewardship of our lives and resources, our prodigal ways, even our unknown faults (Psalm 19:12), in short, our sinfulness brings trouble upon us. We do it to ourselves; “God tempts no one.” (James 1:13)
God could use His omnipotence to remove our problems but He doesn’t. Instead He shows Himself a Father, not a doting but a loving Father who uses our troubles to mature us. The pain of our lives, economic or whatever it is for you, is the Father’s disciplining us in hope that we will see the dead end of our ways and the unending blessing of going the way of His commandments and faith. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) That’ll take patience, a view beyond today, and trust in your heavenly Father. “Take not Your Holy Spirit from me!” (Psalm 51:11)