When we sin against God, there will always be consequences.
We see this from the beginning of Creation when our first parents, Adam and Eve, made decisions that brought corruption into a harmonious partnership that God created in Eden. Though there were multiple curses brought to the earth in this moment, one in particular is the strain in relationships between men and women, especially in marriage.
In Genesis 3, we learn that the snake was cursed, and both Adam and Eve were given consequences. There are key differences between a curse and a consequence. Curses are viewed as divine while consequences are the natural outflow of moving away from God’s order. God did not curse humanity, but He allowed Adam and Eve to face the broken reality they chose in the moment.
Caught in Our Sin
The effects of the fall are felt everywhere, and we are still living with those consequences today. We see this in Creation itself, groaning to be free (Romans 8:21-22), in the toil and suffering that both men and women experience daily.
I am so thankful that God didn’t leave Adam and Eve in their sin and shame. He didn’t abandon us in our sin either. In fact, we know from Genesis 3:9 that God called out to Adam and Eve and asked “Where are you?” God knew where they were. God knew they were hiding. God knew their shame. But in that moment, God, our loving Father, invited Adam and Eve into repentance and restoration. Yet, consequences still existed.
There’s a kindness and a grace in being “caught.” I recently listened to a podcast conversation between Jennie Allen and Tim Ross where they were discussing how good it is for our sin and disobedience to be caught. “Caught is to be kept.” God isn’t trying to “catch” us but keep us. The way He keeps us is by catching us, not allowing us to get away with the things that keep us away from Him.
This conversation really resonated with me. It’s so true! As a mom, I tell my kids the same thing quite often. Be grateful that the Lord highlighted what needed to be found out. It’s for our good! Yes, there are consequences, but there’s also an opportunity for restoration of relationships.
When we face our disobedience and sin, we disarm what the enemy tries to hold over us and use as a tool to create distance in a relationship. Hidden and unrepentant sin drives us to avoid God.
Submit and Surrender
God, in His kindness, provided ways in which we can overcome the results of sin and brokenness. First and foremost, He sent a Redeemer and Rescuer to save us from our sin and restore us into a right relationship with God. From there, He has outlined how Christian marriages can flourish under love and service. Paul delivers these beautiful instructions, which restores the brokenness from the fall between husband and wife. We find this in Ephesians 5:22-33 where He calls wives to submit to their husbands (not to control them) and husbands to love their wives (not to dominate them). Order can be restored!
I am writing these words to you today as a divorced, single mom who is navigating life and parenting in a way I never dreamed I would be. There is pain in both child-bearing and child-rearing as well as the way my heart was mishandled in my marriage. The Lord didn’t leave me in the mess. The Lord is my husband who I am to daily submit and surrender to. Whether you are single, married, divorced, or widowed, we have a covering over us and an authority to surrender to. The desire to dominate is in us all. My prayer over every woman reading this blog post is a soft and surrendered heart, yielded to His design. Full obedience.
