Experiencing God's Presence #113

Experiencing God's Presence #113

He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness.

Romans 11:22

Too many Christians feel as if they have fallen out of God’s favor with every little sin or misstep, as though every lapse into a habitual weakness disqualifies them from His kindness and brings them face-to-face with His severity. We think of Moses’ outburst that cost him entry into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:10-12) or Uzzah’s casual attempt to stabilize the holy Ark that cost him his life (2 Samuel 6:6-7). It takes only a couple of high-profile events like this to give us the impression that God is a high-strung deity whose aversion to sin prompts capricious judgments. Somehow, we trust in the severity of God more than His kindness.

When we look at the overall picture of Scripture, we realize two important points: (1) Sin has been thoroughly dealt with. That doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant; we can certainly forfeit God’s calling on our life if we are living in rebellion. But that’s the case with stubborn disobedience, not failed attempts to follow Him well. If we keep pointing our hearts back in the right direction, He doesn’t treat us severely. (2) The context of God’s severity—in many passages, including this one—is usually related to unbelief. His anger is stirred up over continual faithlessness, mistrust, and assumptions that He is not present, active, or reliable in what He says. He is not harsh toward the frequent failures we make in spite of our best intentions. He is harsh toward a persistent unwillingness to believe Him and to trust His kindness.

That’s comforting. We have a choice in how we experience God. If we trust in His kindness, we find Him to be kind. If we are always suspicious of His intentions, we find Him intolerant of our unbelief. Perfect behavior is not the key to experiencing His goodness. The key is knowing how good He really is.

Father, I trust Your kindness because You tell me You are kind. I trust that You don’t pressure me to perform perfectly—Your grace is far greater than all my sins. I choose to come to You confidently, believing in Your goodness.