Whose Reality Will We Accept?
Humans have a way of trying to impose their own beliefs on the world and seeking to change it to their own desires. Much of these efforts are denials of what is really real. It is a sure path for failure. What is really real? Ultimately, God is what is real, and when we fight reality, we are fighting Him. Reality isn’t what we want it to be. It is what God wants it to be. Disappointment happens when our expectations don’t match reality. We become disillusioned and may even fall into despair. Some just decide it isn’t worth it to stick around anymore. There is a better way.
Instead of seeking to change the world to match our desires, we should change ourselves to match God’s world. This is God’s message to us in the Bible. Sin is not just “moral” failure; it is a failure of perspective on our place in God’s creation. That’s what Paul is seeking to get across in Romans 1:21: “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
What happens when the heart is darkened? We try to change reality to conform to our desires instead of conforming our desires to reality. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). When we transform ourselves to God’s will, we prove God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will. That is, we show it, in our lives, to be true. It’s not that God’s will is false if we don’t do this, rather, our own lives are.
God bless you, and I love you.