The TRUTH about Consequences!

Most believers realize how gracious God is.  We know and understand that He is a God who honors His word, so when He tells us He loves us, we believe Him.  When He tells us He will continue working in us, we believe Him!  That is what faith looks like, it believes regardless, and we know that faith is what pleases God.  But what happens when we trust what we know too much? Can we  actually know too much about God to our own detriment?

MY PROBLEM 

Recently I was talking to God about a decision I made that was not the best, in fact it was basically disobedience... Okay, it was flat out disobedience.  After making this decision, I realized that there were dire consequences to it.  Because I KNOW God, I was tempted to pray and ask Him to remove or soften the consequences of my sin.  Why was that the first thought on my mind?  Because I KNOW Him!  I know He loves me and cares about everything that concerns me. I KNOW His word says that if we confess or sins, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse.  I KNOW He has promised to perfect everything concerning me...  See faith is good, but when we use what we KNOW about God to disobey and get away with it.... a decision has to be made. 

When I admitted to myself what my prayer was probably going to be, I also realized that my relationship with God was better than that.  I saw myself in the mirror of His word and realized that I was my own enemy when I think I can do the opposite of His word and prosper. 
The bible tells us in Romans 6:1:

"What should we say then?  

Should we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How can we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"  

MY REVISED PRAYER 

I have been living and relying on verses in Romans 5 that tells us 'where sin abounds, grace much more abounds'.  But there comes a time that we need to grow up and change the chapter we are living in.  So with tears in my eyes and a tremble in my voice, this is what my prayer sounded like... as a maturing believer who knows better:

Father God, I am sorry.  

I have heard you, but I chose to do the opposite of what You told me.  I realize Lord that  I can pray for the consequences be changed, but not right now.  I will pray about that later, right now I know I need to deal with the immediate consequences so that I remind MYSELF later to obey YOU.  So today, Lord, I just want to be in good standing with You, I just want to continue walking in Your grace and obeying You.  I know You have not discarded me, but I owe You more than I have given You.  I know that Your promises for me are true, they are Yes, and Amen... but KNOWING You does not excuse not obeying You.  Yes I know You are forgiving, You are merciful, You are loving.  I value  our relationship so that makes me consider my responsibility to You, not just Yours to me.  I love You and thank You for forgiving me and thank You for loving me in spite of me.  

 In Jesus name, amen. 

THE TRUTH ABOUT CONSEQUENCES

As believers, we really like when God changes the consequences of our actions.  We like to 'do the crime', but praise Him because we don't have to 'do the time'.  But what happens when we have to live with consequences, what if He does not change them?  Will we continue to love Him, continue to serve Him, continue to reach out to others and tell of His graciousness?  Consequences help us teach ourselves.  Sometimes the worst thing you had to deal with, taught you more than the best verse in the bible.  So if this story of mine can help you choose better, then my consequences are already worth it.  See, really loving God does not always look like we do everything right, it just means our heart is right and when we are faced with our own error, regardless to the consequences, we side with God and His word....every time.