Side effects (Part 2)

“The unfolding of your Word gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

Side effects that result from the absence of God in our lives may not always be evident at first sight, but they do constitute a source of immense worries subsequently. For much of the time, you may be reacting to symptoms without really identifying their source. These side effects very often leave us physically, emotionally and spiritually challenged - maimed even, and we begin to wonder what on earth could have gone wrong.

We must never lose sight of the fact that we were made to function in the image and likeness of God, the Father, thus the absence of His Word in our Spirit becomes an apparent setback. We do not experience life to the full; worst of all we sense something is glaringly missing.

Do we blame God for living lives ridden with side effects? No, we shouldn’t. Jesus declared openly that He had come that we might live life to the full. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) 

Without God’s spirit dominating our every move we will not know joy, we will only crave for it. Besides, we go through unnecessary trouble because our priorities are misplaced. We have no peace. We run helter-skelter in search of the fugitive called happiness, but never seem to find it. We amass wealth in a bid to satisfy temporary desires. We wrongly believe pleasure is the gateway to heaven and we sidestep God in the process, only to come face to face with the truth that there is a definite end to life after all. No one is spared – obligated passageway. 

Death however does not have a hold on God, therefore taking refuge in Him brings relief to the weary soul. Our Lord Jesus invites us thus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)  

For when everything would have folded up be sure that the Word of God will still remain intact. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Worry

Paul tells us that the Lord Jesus is our peace. “For He Himself is our peace, ….” (Ephesians 2:14) The more you look around you it becomes obvious that people do not have peace because they worry excessively. Our Lord Jesus made the following statement. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

Lack of joy, peace and happiness

Money has its limits: it cannot buy everything least of all love, health, joy and happiness. Peace and joy in themselves are fleeting in content. The love of God is the sole stable element and that is what we should feed on. God did not abandon His only Son in the grave but raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand. There, He is interceding for you and me. Everything will be all right if you are read and willing to receive Jesus in our hearts.

Irritable?

Have you observed how irritable people get these days? They stress over everything. Life is applying pressure on us daily and has succeeded in getting the better of us. They have ceased bearing fruits, because they have not been pruned for a long, long time. They have ceased to be purpose-driven and blindness has set in. They have been caught in their own world and now they can see it is about to crumble. Only the wise sows seeds on fertile ground; only the wise will build on solid ground.

The worst kind of side effect occurs when we deny the existence of God and pretend we can operate in His stead. Oh how foolish for someone to think that way! And as we come to the end of the rope, we begin to realise that we have become victims of godlessness. Life loses its saltiness, and all has become meaningless.

When you add all of this up what does it look like? It is frightening! God looked down from heaven and saw the Children of Israel ‘jamming’ in front of a golden calf. His heart broke. He drew Moses’ attention saying; “They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘these are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Israel!” (Exodus 32:) He concluded that they were a stiffed-necked people.

God’s anger was going to burn on His Children but Moses pleaded with Him. “Then the Lord relented and did not bring on His people the disaster He had threatened.” (Exodus 32:14)

Maybe someone somewhere is courting God’s anger by his/her indifference. Our Lord Jesus is ready, willing and able to plead for you to the Father. His mission has always been to come to the rescue of the lost and the brokenhearted. Open the door of your heart to Him today.