DON'T BLAME GOD: YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE!

IT’S THE TRUTH!

                Man has always been faced with challenges, difficulties and problems. The case remains indifferent till date. Problems are inevitable in life. These problems spread across vast areas relating to human activities and existence. 

                We probably must have heard people say or read articles on ‘5 Ways God uses problems’. It is true that God causes and uses problems for certain reasons but for good anyway. For those who are yet to know ‘5 ways God uses problems’, here it is:

1.       God uses problems to PROTECT you.

A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Someone was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered.

Also, you must have witnessed or heard about stories where ‘something’ usually seen as a problem causes delay in your preparation to either make a booked flight or meet up with a bus to embark on a journey, only to later get reports that the aircraft or bus had a crash or accident.

At such moments, the ‘problem(s)’ appears to be a blessing(s).

2.       God uses problems to DIRECT you.  

Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change.

Sometimes certain problems occur to change our perspective on how we see some situations or things in life.

3.       God uses problems to CORRECT you.

‘Those who fail to learn the easy way will do so the hard way’. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned.

 We learn some lessons only through pain and failure. Sometimes we only learn the value of something, health, money, a relationship, by losing it.

4.       God uses problems to INSPECT you.

 People are like tea bags, if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you?

5.       God uses problems to PERFECT you.

Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort.

Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity.

 Now, you know!

Here comes the big ‘BUT’ as well!

Although God causes and uses certain problems, the truth remains that some problems are nothing but self-inflicted. Over 60% of the problems and challenges we face in life are self-made. They come from our inability to do certain things or put some things into consideration. Often times, we fail to have a foresight on the possible consequences of carrying out an action later in future. We act based on temporary ‘pleasure’ or comfort.

You and I are responsible for some of the problems we face and not God! So, don’t blame Him!  

Take responsibility and avoid further occurrences or repetition of such issues.

To relay this message across properly, we need to see practical ways by which we are responsible and not God.

 Below are typical examples of self-inflicted problems:   

v  Reckless breeding of children – This does not just create problems for individuals or families but also the whole nation. Birth control has been a major problem in Nigeria and other some other densely populated countries of the world. Some of these countries like China have taken the bold step to curtail the situation by setting limits on the number of children to give birth to per couple. Unfortunately, Nigeria keeps breeding children recklessly like chickens or raising football teams. 

The problem may be as a result of a strong desire for either a male or female child leading to unplanned number of children. A female child is a great value too!

Inability of a father to cater for the needs of his children brings him to a state of poverty leading to the emergence of crimes in the society under the umbrella of survival thereby causing problems for the entire nation.

When the ‘culprits’ are asked questions on why they reproduce many offspring, their replies are usually “God will take care of them” or “so that they can take care of me in my old age”. These responses are nothing but baseless. I’ll tell you why. It’s a man’s responsibility to take care of the family’s needs. Inability to do this makes him worse than an infidel. Even God commands moderation and not excesses, so, let’s bury the wrong notion. As regards ‘old age’, who says just one child or two children cannot take care of you in your old age? You just need to train them well to be great in life, then, you’ll reap the fruits of your labor.    

Let’s pay close attention to birth control measures and reduce the problems confronting our societies.

v  Bad habits and lifestyle choices – This accounts for a major part of health problems and challenges faced by several individuals. Unhealthy habits shown as well as bad lifestyle patterns and behaviors are responsible for problems that could have been avoided.

  

BAD LIFESTYLE PATTERN	PROBLEM/CONSEQUENCES
Unprotected sexual intercourse with single or multiple partners	STDs, Unwanted pregnancy
Smoking	Cancer, respiratory problems
Excessive alcohol consumption	Accidents, Diabetes
Poor feeding	Nutritional deficiencies
Poor stress management	Body breakdown/Illness

Just to mention a few. There are more examples.

v  Disobedience to instructions/failure to heed to good advice – instructions and good advice are meant to guide us from making the wrong decisions that can attract severe consequences (problems). Flashback to moments when you encountered certain problem all because you failed to obey instructions or good advice, then you’ll understand that some problems are only self-inflicted.

I’m sure you must have learnt your lessons just as I have. No one needs to tell you to quit disobedience and embrace good advice. For those who haven’t experienced a situation such as this, you don’t have to ‘try it out’. Your case might just be very costly. 

v  Failure to study – students fail to study hard, waiting for God to perform miracles.

 Even God instructs us to study (2 Tim. 2:15).  Failure in exams should therefore not be blamed on God. Do your best and leave the rest for God to bless. Let’s get to doing the right things academically!

v  Corruption at several levels – You’ll agree with me that this is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into diverse levels and sectors of Nigeria. It is evident to citizens that it remains a major cause of numerous problems affecting the nation.

Having read this article thus far,

·         Let’s do the right and shun the wrong! 

·         Let’s play our part properly!

·         Let’s cease blaming God for all our problems because even when He is source of it, it is for our good (He has good thoughts towards us and not evil).  We are responsible!