Job 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding”

We tend to give God credit for problems that aren’t His fault. It’s an excuse to deny Him.

We’re all driven by our sinful nature to try and control everything in our lives. When we do that, we deny our sin, we deny our need of Him, and we deny His authority over us.

We don’t trust Him.

In our denial and need for control, we’re really trying to be the God of our own lives because we think our ways are better than His.  There are always consequences…

FEAR – Remember that after Adam and Eve sinned for the first time, they were afraid and tried to hide when they heard God as He came to visit. “I was afraid, because I was naked and so I hid.” – Genesis 3:10   (they only had 1 rule to follow)

FRUSTRATION – This is a symptom of a much deeper problem. “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD”. – Jeremiah 17:5

FATIGUE – Most people try to hide their pain or run from the pain by keeping busy. We don’t like the way we feel when we slow down. We don’t like the thoughts that go through our minds when we try to rest. Guilt and shame are really good evidence of sin in our lives.

What are the problems you don’t want to face? The thing about denial is that it doesn’t fix anything. Usually, the problem gets worse. Think about what might happen if you were seriously injured, blood flowing everywhere, and you just ignored it.

“When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah”. – Psalm 32:3-4

FAILURE – We’re guaranteed to fail at “playing God”.  We will never succeed in a life of denial. Simply put, there’s just too much FEAR, FRUSTRATION, and FAILURE in it.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper…” – Proverbs 28:13a

BUT… The second part of that verse says, “…whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”.

James 4:6 says “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”.

Within His grace is the power to change. “Grace” is a very important word.