Scripture Reference: – Proverbs 19:3
“The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.”
My daily diet in the book of Proverbs found me in chapter 19. If you’re like me, quite often when reading through a chapter, one verse stands out, and for me today, it was verse three. I was thinking about all the times in my life, where my foolishness got me off the narrow path, and like Christian in the book Pilgrim’s Progress (by John Bunyan), I found myself in “The Slough Of Despond.”
As we traverse this life, our own foolishness can land us in the swamp, bogged down in a quagmire of trouble. How sad that we expect God to automatically deliver us from all our troubles, and when he doesn’t, how easily we tend to blame our adversity on Him. God’s people are pilgrims, strangers, and foreigners in a land that is not our own, yet one we must live and survive in.
Difficulties, trials and troubles of every kind lie in the path of every child of God. It’s just the way things are in a fallen world. With God’s providential help, He guides us through the swamps and slough’s of life, all the while using our time in the furnace of affliction as one big test of our faith.
Solomon knew that the reason "why" a person suffers doesn't erase the fact of their suffering; even those who bring pain on themselves are still in pain. Being at fault does not make someone's hardship any less difficult.
Of course, not all suffering is self-inflicted (John 16:33; l Peter 3:17). Yet it's undeniably true that human nature seeks to blame others for our own poor choices. Mankind has a tragic habit of ignoring reason and advice, only to blame God when the predicted consequences come to pass. Sadly, The question, “why did God do this to me?” is what comes to mind when we feel like we’ve been given a raw deal. We deflect the truth that we ourselves are often the main culprit.
Scripture makes it clear that a “fool” is a person who ignores wisdom and instruction from above. (Proverbs 1:7; 3:1-8). Solomon gave us one warning after another about the danger of being a fool. (Proverbs 3:35; 10:8). When what has been predicted happens, “fools” blame God for the aftermath..
When Old Testament Israel was facing imminent invasion, The prophet Isaiah made a dire prediction. Isaiah 8:21 declares, “They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak arrogantly against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward.”
Men bring trouble into their lives due to their own foolishness, but then they blame God for it! What profane wickedness! He will not live by God’s wisdom, for he wants to do things his way. But when the consequences of his foolish choices bite him, he murmurs and blames God for the difficulties. What a miserable, rebellious, ungrateful wretch!
God is good to all, and His mercy is over all. He offers wisdom freely to all who want it (Proverbs 8:1-5,32-36; 9:1-6). But fools laugh at wisdom; they think they have a better way. They should know better but they don’t. Solomon’s famous declaration has been true since he spoke it. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.” (Prov 14:12) Unrighteous people will always “eat the fruit of their folly” (Proverbs 1:29-33). The infidels in the proverb accuse God that His ways are not fair, but it is the fool’s ways that are not fair (Ezek 18:25)!
Dear friends, has this proverb ever been true in your life? Have you chosen your own way and met with pain and trouble because of it? Have you ever thought the Lord was unfair? Have you ever resented Him for not delivering you or answering your prayers? Have you allowed angry, discontented, fretting, or self-righteous thoughts before the LORD? It is your fault that consequences have come home to roost for your terrible choices in life.
Notice carefully that it is the heart of the fool that frets. It is your inner thoughts that must be examined, and your pious speech in church will not cover for them. How have you thought in your heart, where all those around cannot see? What do you think? The Lord sees all your worrying. He sees your angry, despairing, or discontented thoughts. You should direct your anxiety and worrying against yourself and your foolishness rather than against God.
To be a constant worrywort is nothing but sin. Nothing you are or have is yours. It is a gift from heaven. God gave you your station in life, abilities, parents, health, children, job, spouse, time, and anything else you can name. Why chafe against Him about these gifts? These things are not yours; they are His. He loaned them to you, and He expects a good return. You owe Him! He owes you nothing but the eternal torment of your soul. Anything less is pure mercy.
But when you fret against Him after perverting His gifts through slothfulness or foolishness, your murmuring thoughts are the rebellious poison of hell seeping out of your heart. You add wickedness to your sins. Crush those sinful thoughts. Humble yourself before God. Find your joy and contentment in Him, rather than the gifts He gives. Accept His withholding of gifts. Confess your folly that led to your predicament.
Adam brought shame and death on himself in Eden, and he blamed God for it (Gen 3:11-12). Cain was cursed for killing his brother, and he blamed God for his punishment being too great (Gen 4:13-14). Ahab found himself at war for the vicious murder of Naboth for his vineyard, and he blamed God for not ever blessing him (I Kings 22:8). Where are these three men today? Likely where all three belong! Where will you be tomorrow?
Most of the problems you have in life are your own fault. My incarcerated friends could talk your ear off backing up that statement. No one has to tell them that they are reaping what they have sown. There are consequences when you fail to keep God’s Word faithfully. You're foolishly choosing to go your own way. Your zeal for following wisdom was lukewarm. Can you not see that? Confess your foolish stewardship in taking care of what He had given you. If you do not, your pain is going to increase (Job 36:16-18).
As you examine your life today, are their areas where you are knowingly being foolish? Is there some secret sin that has haunted you for years; some behavior that can only lead to sorrow and misery. Repent and regain the favor of God before things get worse. Your sin can easily come back to haunt you, and in the end never forget, – “your sins will always find you out.” (Num 32:23)
If you blame God for your troubles, you add greater sin to your folly. No wonder your life is a mess. The Bible says, “This is the way, walk ye in it” (Is 30:21). If you have rejected instruction and wisdom, because you had a better idea, because the pastor was too extreme, because the Bible is too old fashioned, or because your daddy did not do it that way, then beware.
God is not mocked; do not be deceived. If you compromise His Word in your marriage, family, thoughts, speech, or any area of life, you will reap painful results (Gal 6:7). He made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions (Eccl 7:29). What have you invented against His commandments? His ways are equal; your ways are unequal. If you add fretting to your sin, He will come with even greater chastening or judgment.
Final Thought
If you have lived foolishly and you have problems, there is only one thing to do. In the book of Job we are introduced to Job’s 4th friend, Elihu. He gave us a good prayer to God for forgiveness, “He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light” (Job 33:27-28). If you have been foolish, this should be your prayer, and you should not fret against God at all.
If there were ever a man who could have worried or beed distraught against his lot in life, it would have been the blessed Lord Jesus Christ. But when facing the most arduous and horrifying task of His difficult life – to pay for your wickedness – He said, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). He never perverted God’s way, but had to pay for you perverting yours. And He still did not fret. Praise the blessed and perfect Son of God.
From: Fight the Good Fight of Faith / Life Journal: by Gregg Harris
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