Tear Your Heart (Joel 2:1–17)

Sometimes in times of struggle, difficulty, or suffering, we act as though all we need to do is apologize and everything will be okay. Sometimes we look at the suffering God allows in our life or the discipline he’s putting us through as a combination lock just waiting to be opened, a code to be cracked. “If I just ask forgiveness for this sin” or “if I just read my Bible this much” or “if I just go to church this many times” or “if I just donate this amount of money” God will have no choice but to bless me and take me out of this pain and put me into better life circumstances. It may sound a little ridiculous, and many of us probably wouldn’t say those things out loud, but I know I’m not the only one who has had times where we’ve thought it, or acted as though that’s the way it is. The reality is we are told in the Bible that God will sometimes use or allow to help us grow, mature, learn, and become more like Christ. So while it’s okay to ask God to help us with or even remove us from situations of suffering or discipline, to apologize, or to be brought to confession, repentance, or positive life-change by those circumstances, that doesn’t mean God immediately owes us a supernatural rescue for doing as we’re told. Saying sorry doesn’t mean we won’t face discipline or consequences.