When we abandon God’s way, we live in defiance of God’s claim on us and our whole existence becomes discordant with reality. Moreover, we grieve God who loves us and made us to live with him. The best thing that can happen to us then, when we abandon God’s way, is that we feel the pain of this discordance and the grief of God. The worst thing that can happen is that we end up living happily without God. In the end this leads to an eternity of darkness. To save his people from this terrible fate God promised to make them miserable if they strayed from him. He would rain down curses upon them to awaken them, like defibrillator shocks, to bring them back to full spiritual consciousness. We see this promise fulfilled in the story of Israel that follows. God did not always bring curses on his people immediately when they turned away from him. There were times when they prospered in the rebellion. But, mercifully, God did not allow such a terrible situation to persist. Eventually he brought great misery upon them. That is how much God loves us. He will do whatever it takes to our bodies to save our souls. He will spare no extreme to awaken you. He may hold off for a while and let you persist in sin in the hope that you will turn around on your own, but, if not, he will lovingly cause all your false hopes to be dashed and your life to implode. Then your misery will bring you home to limitless grace and love and an eternal reward.
Plead with God to do whatever it takes to keep you close to him.
Read Deuteronomy 28
