We're Pretty Good At Deceiving Ourselves

In order to live with ourselves we, sometimes, feel a desire to figure out ways to justify certain things that we’ve done, or maybe even things that we’re still doing.

Occasionally, when I observe people making their justifications I will think, “Are you kidding me?  That is such a flimsy excuse.  It’s obvious that what you’re doing is wrong and, in a sense, you know it’s wrong but you are desperately reaching for this weak rationalization to try to convince yourself it is alright.”

Then I shake my head and think, “Gee whiz, wake up! It’s amazing how people are so capable of deceiving themselves.”

But every now and then, when this happens, God will nudge me and this realization will come:  “Hey, you do this same type of rationalizing and justifying, too, Dan.”

If this happens to be one of those moments when I am willing to be very honest, I shake my head and think, “Gee whiz, wake up!  It’s amazing how I am so capable of deceiving myself.”

There's No Such Thing As Consequence-Free Living

It is possible for a person to look at things that are wrong and believe they are right, or to look at things that are right and believe they are wrong.  (See Isaiah 5:20) This kind of moral confusion involves a dangerous level of self-deception—it is dangerous to the one who is confused and dangerous to those around the one who is confused.  When a large percentage of a culture becomes morally confused get ready for lots of pain, tears and sadness.  There is no such thing as consequence-free living.

The Purpose of God's Laws: To Protect Us

Yes, God has rules or laws for living life.  But even though this can be hard for us to acknowledge, sometimes, God’s laws for living are not meant to restrict fun, or inconvenience us, or prevent us from the full experience of life. 

There have been times (too many times) when I believed that the best option for me involved a choice of action that would violate God’s laws.  I knew God’s way but I thought my way would be better, more fun, safer, easier, more pleasurable, more helpful to me, more effective, etc…

I have an extraordinary capacity for rationalizing the things I want to do.  How about you?  This is also known as self-deception; except when I’m in the midst of rationalizing something.  Then I know it as, “Gee, it’s amazing how smart I am!”

I have not arrived at some point of perfection, however, I have come to see that the purpose of God’s laws are to protect us and to protect that which is sacred.  I sincerely encourage you to take a moment to ponder this reality.  In fact, I will repeat the thought:  The purpose of God’s laws are to protect us and to protect that which is sacred.

If we will think honestly and carefully about this I believe we will recognize it as truth.

He loves us, He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He wants what is best for us.