As a descendant of Eve, I'm curious why deception and lies are easier to believe than truth and faith. And if that statement sounds absurd, that's because it is. But please do remember how her situation went...
"Eve, I love you and I want you to have a beautiful life. Please do not eat from that tree right over there, but please do delight yourself in all that I have given you."
"Hey, Eve. You wanna? It's fine, He lied. You'll be smart..."
And I think we all know what happened at the end of that story. The poor girl was deceived. Tricked! She fell. Just like I do.
But why? Why are lies and trickery so appealing and why is it easier for us to believe in? Is it because "the thoughts of human hearts are only evil all the time" (Gen 6:5)? Or is it because "the serpent is more crafty than all other animals" (Gen 3:1)? Or is it because sneaky, snide comments sound better than soft, sweet words?
In reality, it's probably because deception and lies produce a quick, fast, easy fix, while truth and faith require more of a "wait and see" approach.
Noah had about 950 years to "wait and see" while we continue to hear "life is short, make the most of it".
Noah had many, many years to see what God had up his sleeve.
Noah had a million more days to watch God's promises come to pass.
We keep hearing and believing, we hardly have any time and therefore we've got to make our own good things happen.
And I only know this because I know me. I know my desires to have things happen today, right away and to know how things will end up. I want to know that everything will be okay and I want to have all of it as soon as possible. So, of course my initial instinct isn't to wait. My initial instinct is to take care of the problem and find good things on my own.
But I am too weak, too hasty and have too little knowledge of the big picture to figure it out on my own. I want life to be a little happier and easier? Yep, we all do. I want to have the fairy tale I always dreamed of? So did Eve. But no one ever got anywhere trying to make their own destiny, did they?
I did that so many times, trying to make my own destiny. And every time I do that I end up more broken.
I wanted this. I asked for this. I prayed for this. I begged God for this. I am blessed. I am fed, clothed and sheltered. I am loved. I am the recipient of the greatest gift in the universe. I have everything . I know this. What is wrong with me?
So many times I ended up sobbing and asking God if I'd done the right thing. If everything was going to be okay. If I would feel Him again like I used to. If I would learn to be close to Him all over again. If this would be too hard for me.
And this is what He said to me recently when I'm starting to get worried about my life:
"Seriously, Stephanie? I have stripped depression away from you. I have removed you from the place you didn't want to be. I have set you free from all of your addictions. I gave you passion again. I gave you new friends who know my love. I gave you a man that you love, who loves you. I let you travel out from your country. I did miracles in front of you. I gave you Family. I gave you new home. I gave you hope. I gave you love, My love. And you ask where I've been? If this is right? If I still love you?
I saw Him again. I heard Him again, where I should have heard Him a dozen times before. We forget what He has done when we do not intentionally sit at His feet in our mess. We are blind, until we ask Him to let us see. I re-learned unconditional love.
There'a a lesson is learning to trust here. And there's a lesson in learning to "go with the flow". But perhaps the biggest lesson is knowing that God loves me and wants me to have a beautiful life, with a beautiful purpose and to one day live in His beautiful kingdom. He's already got the plan and the layout, all He asked me to do do was to trust and listen and obey.