Spiritual Warfare · Biblical Wisdom

Do we seek God only when things go wrong?

6 min read, approximately

“The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Obed, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him: Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord will be with you if you are with him; if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will also forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:1-2)

We often live thinking we have everything under control, yet in the blink of an eye our lives turn upside down… This is when, remarkably, we return to church, remember God, and ask him questions such as: Lord, why me? Lord, why did you allow this to happen to me? Lord, why did you do nothing to help us avoid this?… Or the other side of the coin: Lord, help me! Lord, get me out of this! Lord, why don’t you do something?! A clear illustration of this is found in the Book of Judges, in the story of the people of Israel. What if the Lord asked us: Did you ever ask me about that idea before you deliberately turned it into a decision? When did you consult me about that matter in prayer? When did we agree on it? You know? The Bible teaches us that

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21)

“Do not be wise in your own opinion; fear the Lord and turn away from evil;” (Proverbs 3:7)

“Have you seen someone wise in their own opinion? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” (Proverbs 26:12)

Yes! We have free will,

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, listening to his voice, and following him; for he is life to you and the length of your days, so that you may dwell in the land the Lord swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

… but this alone is not enough, because the key is to understand that we have limitations! Our understanding and knowledge are limited! We do not know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:13-16); we do not even know what troubles today will bring (Matthew 6:25-34), so how can we leave our lives to hunches, feelings, and hasty decisions (Jeremiah 17:9)?… So… Do we seek God only when things go wrong? What does the Bible suggest to us? \1. The Bible teaches us that by seeking God, the way is open for us to ask for wisdom and gain understanding:

“Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things.” (Proverbs 28:5)

, “And if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask God, who gives generously to everyone without reproach, and it will be given to them.” (James 1:5) To be continued…

\2. The Bible teaches us that by seeking God, we will know how to handle and act in different circumstances, good or bad:

“Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget or turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will preserve you. Wisdom above all: acquire wisdom, and with all your possessions acquire understanding. Exalt her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her. She will place an ornament of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty. Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be multiplied. I have led you in the way of wisdom and guided you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; and if you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.” (Proverbs 4:5-13)

\3. The Bible teaches us that if we understand this, we are sensible; therefore, we will seek God, delight in his Word, and put it into practice:

“But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)

“Whoever possesses understanding loves their own soul; whoever guards discernment will find good.” (Proverbs 19:8)

“Blessed is the person who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scoffers; instead, their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate on his law day and night. They will be like a tree planted beside streams of water, bearing fruit in its season, whose leaf does not wither; and everything they do will prosper.” (Psalms 1:1-3)

\4. Therefore, it would be absurd to seek God only when things go wrong; that is why the Bible suggests that we should always seek God:

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him, if you seek him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29)

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. From one blood he made the whole human race to dwell over the whole face of the earth, and he determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling places, so that they would seek God and perhaps, by reaching out, find him, though he is certainly not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17:24-27)

Shall we change the mindset of seeking God only when things go wrong?

May God continue to bless you
and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!
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