08/24/2021
Denial:
Some of us avoid or cope with our own pain by trying to fix the world. We try to right every wrong, heal every wound, point out every injustice. We spend our time demanding that the world system reform. We may also dedicate ourselves to rescuing and reforming those we love. Our zealousness to set the world right can be a means of denying that we are powerless to do so.
Solomon said, “I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! I said to myself, ‘In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.’ . . . I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17; 4:1). Solomon saw that the world was not as it should be. He also recognized that it was ultimately God’s job to judge the injustices in our world.
When we set out to save the world, we err by taking on a role that belongs to God. What we gain by taking on such a massive task is the guarantee that we will always be busy. Then we will never have the time or energy to face our own issues. The Bible makes it clear that the world will never be right until Jesus Christ returns to make it so. We need to accept the fact that we are powerless to do his job. This does not mean that we should turn a blind eye to the world’s problems. When we focus on our own recovery, fixing ourself instead of everyone else, we will be more effective in helping others. Life Recovery Bible; Principle Devotions
