As if there were no God

Lately I've heard it argued that human beings would be much better off if there were no God. If there were no God, we wouldn't have to worry about securing our eternal state; we could live this life as if it were the only one, ultimately doing as we pleased.  I heard it argued that if there were no God, we would be free to live happier lives because we won't have to worry about trying to please God or live up to His standards, that people won't be so guilty all the time; ultimately, if there weren't a God, this world would be a much happier place.

If I'm honest, I have to admit that sometimes I fall into this lie.  When temptation strikes, it's easy to justify that my way is better, that God's simply trying to spoil my fun, that whatever I want to do truly isn't "that bad".

In reality, though, God isn't a tyrant.  God is love (1 John 4:8).  God is a Father who provides good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:7-12; Luke 11:9-13; James 1:17).  I know it's a cliche argument, but it's one I'll risk repeating to tired ears; God's plans are better than ours.  He knows better than us what's good for us, not only in the moment, but in the long term.  He's shaping us in ways we don't yet understand, asking us to trust the Potter until we take full shape. His ways are higher than ours; we need only to trust Him (Isaiah 55:8-9; Proverbs 3:5-6).  Like a loving father, God understands that our actions have long term consequences; He can see how the "harmless" act of today is going to cause us agony and heartache tomorrow, how our iniquity will ultimately lead to death (Ezekiel 18:24-30.  Like a loving parent, God sets up rules to protect us from the fallenness of our world; a parent doesn't tell her child to wait until the cookie is cooled to take a bite because the parent wishes the child to be unhappy in the moment but because she doesn't want the child to get burned.  So it is with God.

Now, this is all nice on paper and in theory, but in real life it just doesn't pan out, right?

I mean, it's fine when a man and woman compromise their sexual boundaries in the heat of the moment because they're in love, right?  What harm could it really do? It's fine when a single person, not knowing how to respond to her sexual desires, watches suggestive romance movies and fantasy about her sexuality with her future husband, right?  Speaking of fantasy, it's fine for a man let his mind wander to the sexual possibilities between him and his girlfriend; after all, thoughts never hurt anyone, right?

Except when those compromised boundaries result in marital problems for the man fifteen years later when he compares his wife with his first love and cause the woman to run to self-destructive behaviors to try to deal with her grief and shame.  Except when the woman's husband fails to live up to the impossible standards of movie fantasy, creating a rift in their marriage that ultimately leads to divorce.  Except when such thoughts cause him to dishonor his girlfriend, overestimate the level of their real relationship, and cause him to pressure her into acts she's against.

Okay, lust has it's apparent downfalls, but what about other sins?  What about greed and gluttony?  Surely there's no harm in financial success, in striving for more and working as hard as it takes to get it.  But what if that striving causes one to overlook the important things in life; what if a wife and mother gets so wrapped up in proving herself through her work that she forgets and ultimately loses her husband and kids?  What about the one who's so focused on getting ahead that he becomes discontent with any amount and becomes depressed at what he views as his poverty?  What about the one who sacrifices the well-being of other humans in order to make the most profit?  What about the children and wife who lose their beloved father and husband much too soon because he was consumed by trying to satisfy his hunger for the world's treasures?

There's no harm in sloth though, right?  You've worked hard most of the time; surely you deserve a break.  Just a day off here or there, a nice summer vacation like when you were a kid, a year's sabbatical to rest up so you can best prepare for the hard work that you're destined to do in the future. God commands us to rest, right?  But what happens when that "rest" leads to an attitude of entitlement?  What happens when parent and child swap roles because the parent declares she's cared for others long enough and now deserves to be waited on?  What happens when one's decision to take a break from live pulls his family into a tailspin of poverty?  What about the distracted student who forgoes assignments for social media and video games and throws away thousands of dollars of tuition money?

I could go on with the damages of envy and wrath and pride, but I think you get my point.  Far too often I've seen the devastating effects of sin destroy lives around me.  Time and time again life has proven to me that God's ways are perfect, that His ways are much better than mine, that ultimately it's been to trust His timing and His plan than to give into the temptation of today's pleasures.  The the temptation be strong, ultimately they're not worth it.

Papa, thank You for Your perfect plan.  LORD, lead and guide me for Your name sake.  You are mighty to save. Papa, please help me say no to sin and yes to You.  Your ways are higher than mine; forgive me for trusting my own understanding.  Please teach me to instead trust You, LORD.  Give me the strength to trust You more each day.  Give me the strength to say no to temptation, trusting that what You have planned is better.  Where You lead, LORD, I will follow.