In the last blog, Inevitable or Preventable, I brought up the importance of knowing the
difference between what is inevitable and what is preventable. The point being
that our actions will be different as God reveals which is which. When He does,
we can prepare for what is inevitable or prevent what is preventable as we follow
His lead.
In that post I made the comment that we don’t want to waste
our time trying to prevent those things that are inevitable. However, it’s important
to understand that even if we feel we can't prevent those things, we can still
stand against them. For example if some bad thing is inevitable—like the passage
of a certain law—We are not wasting our time to speak up or try and do what we
can to stop it. We must always stand for truth and righteousness. Psalm 94:16.
In Luke 17:1 Jesus said to His disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!" Certain things are inevitable, but we don't want to be the one that opens the door to those things, participates in them, condones them, or remains silent about them. And we don’t want to have the
attitude that we are to just sit back and let it run rampant—Que sera sera,
whatever will be, will be. We always want to shine as a light, speak truth, sound
the alarm when appropriate, and ask the Lord to show us any part of a seemingly
inevitable event we can prevent, along with what and how.
And of course, we don't want to be one who did not discern that it could have been prevented.
What is Fixable?
So, what about those things that have already happened that could have been prevented but weren't?
I think everyone would agree that there are things that happen that we don’t like and didn’t intend to happen. The same is true of God. Since the fall of man there have been things happening on earth that God never intended. Even though He knew they would, for He planned for the solution, His preference would have been for mankind to avoid certain things from happening altogether. Cain killing Abel, the wickedness in Noah’s day, The enslavement of His people, the perversity in Sodom and Gomorrah, the sacrifice of children to a false god, to name a few. We could go on and on through century after century looking at things that happened that God never intended to happen.
These things happen because of the fallen nature within man—the pride
and rebellion implanted in the human heart as a result of mankind’s rejection
of God’s words and following the words of the rebellious deceiver instead. This
had consequence in the Garden and still does today.
These consequences are things that have happened that God never intended, things that could have been prevented if His people would have listened to Him and followed His words. Not all that is happening today was inevitable. Some of it was preventable.
So the question now becomes what is fixable? Is anything fixable? Or are we stuck with these consequences? If so, for how long? What do we do now that we see what was wrong and could have, and should have, been prevented?God’s answer first and foremost is always to repent. To turn from the wickedness, from the rebellion, from the disobedience to His Word, and turn to Him. To humble ourselves before Him, to seek Him, to follow Him, to acknowledge that His way is the only way—to make Jesus Lord of our lives, and all that that entails.
"(If) My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
There were times God’s people were in such a mess that there was no human solution. Surrounded by armies, besieged, in seemingly impossible situations—seemingly unfixable situations—yet when they turned to God He prevailed over their enemies and rescued them. It happened over and over until they turned so far against Him and hardened their heart so much against Him that they were taken into captivity. Thus it was proven that a Savior who would change the heart of man would be the only way to save him.
From the beginning, God had a plan of redemption for all of mankind. He sent His Son Jesus to pay the ultimate price and restore back to God those who believe in Him.Is it fixable? It depends on what the “it” is. The human heart, which tends toward hatred, rebellion, pride, selfishness, and so on, is fixable, but only through faith in Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for us so we could be born again into His new nature, filled with His Spirit and hearts which tend toward righteousness.
And that is the first and most important step toward fixing anything else in the world.