6 Words That Will Change Your LifeSample

Broken-hearted after the Fall, God made animal skin coverings for the creation He’d first clothed in His own glory and revealed the consequences of their choices. First, the woman would undergo excruciating pain in childbirth. I’ve seen it...hell hath no fury like a screaming woman pushing a baby out of her body!  

The second consequence was that wedding bliss would turn into a battle ground. God tells Eve: “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”  

The final consequence was that humanity’s relationship to the creation it was called to care for became fractured. The very ground given to mankind to cultivate became obstinate and unyielding, and the good work given by God became more burdensome than joyful. 

When I was a young, newlywed pastor, my wife and I were struggling. I was gone most weekends and evenings. When I came home, I was usually exhausted. She wanted to talk. I wanted to watch TV. 

One night on the way to Bible study, we got in a huge argument, but we put on happy faces and went in anyways.   

Pastor Green changed the game plan that night. “Let’s go around and talk about our lives and struggles,” he said.  

When he got to me, I tried to fake it. But my wife couldn’t take it anymore. Although usually sweet and kind, she blew up at me, and I went off. As we sat there arguing in front of everyone Pastor Green interjected and went off on me! He told me that if I wasn’t a good husband, all my ministry achievements were for nothing. I said something like, “Yeah, well, I’m gonna kick your butt anyway!”  and I charged across the room, ready to punch him in the face. I figured I’d sinned anyway, so I might as well go the whole way. 

But in the middle of that room, God hit me instead. I fell to the ground weeping because I knew my wife was right, Pastor Green was right, and I was wrong. That meltdown saved my ministry and my marriage. 

God didn’t give up on humanity at the Fall. All of His good intentions for us (to bear fruit and multiply) remained. Our disobedience made our path one of pain and struggle, but God is still faithful to His promises and is working in the pain to restore all things to “very good.”  

Only in Christ can we overcome the consequences of the Fall. From the pain of a struggling marriage, to shattered parent-child relationships, to the drudgery of work, or some other challenge, the reality is that we all live with the consequences of humanity’s choice to turn away from God. Still, God is faithful to His promises.  

Meditate on Psalm 46:1.  Ask God for opportunities to pass along His hope and strength to others in times of trouble.