DEVOTION//A reason life is a pain
God's people had a complaint.
Isaiah quotes them, “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why do we afflict ourselves, but you are not aware?” (Isaiah 58:3).
Of course, it's not only believers from 2700 years ago who fault God for not dancing to the tune they are playing.
Still today believers complain,
"Lord, we've been good. Why aren't you doing what we want you to do?"
"God, why did you let this accident happen to me. I've been a good person?"
"After all the time I spent at church, how could I have lost my job? Jesus, you aren't keeping your promises."
Perhaps you've heard those complaints from our own mouth.
God's Word provides a number of reasons he allows pain to come into our lives. For example, we live in a sin-broken world where pain is the default. God uses upset to draw us closer to him. God's grace assures that wrapped in every setback is a blessing.
But for his people in Isaiah 58, the Lord has a different -- and more difficult to accept -- reason for his apparent lack of attention. It's a reason we, too, should consider when life bereaves and wounds.
The Lord accuses his people, "You say I don't see you when you fast but 'on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high'" (Isaiah 58:3,4).
God's people were going through the motions of piety rather than being moved to gratitude by his grace. They believed their actions earned God's blessings rather than that their actions should have flowed from thankfulness for his blessings. They were convinced that God owed them for their goodness rather than that they owed God for the goodness he showered on them.
God does not respond to the prayers of his people when they have allowed self-righteousness to replace repentance, selfishness to triumph over selflessness.
That's a difficult teaching for us to receive. Not even believers like to be told they don't deserve God's blessings. But when our pride overwhelms our humility, when we think God is in our debt, this is what we must hear.
But don’t miss this. These hard words from our Father are evidence that, when we wander away, God continues to love us so much he will call us to repentance and will assure us we have the status of his children. Then, once his grace in Jesus restores us, he promises, "your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I" (Isaiah 58:8,9).
When the pain of life overwhelms, consider your Father's call to repentance. Rejoice in his restoring love. Then live as the people who glow with his glory.