Better Than God?

What is at the root of dissatisfaction with our current state in life?

To answer this question, we must first state that there are two kinds of dissatisfaction. There is a holy dissatisfaction, where we look at the state of our lives in the light of God's character as revealed in his word and declare our present state to be unacceptable because it does not measure up to God's word. This is a good dissatisfaction because it grows out of a desire to know God, to rest in God, and to be what God has commanded and demanded that we be. This holy dissatisfaction is salved only by the blood of Christ, shed for our tragic rebellion, and the power of the Spirit that renews us and draws us to practical holiness.

The second kind of dissatisfaction is a rebellious dissatisfaction, where we look at the state our lives in light of God's sovereign providence and declare that our present state unacceptable because it does not measure to our preconceived notions of what a good and just God should be doing. We are ultimately saying that if we were God, we would be doing it differently. We are ultimately questioning the love or sovereignty (or both) of God.

This dissatisfaction refuses to acknowledge that a loving God has sovereignly and providentially brought our lives to the exact place that he wants them at this time. If he had wanted it to be different, he would have made it so. In talking to dissatisfied people, I usually ask at one point or another, "Do you believe God makes mistakes?" and "Do you believe God could change this situation if he wanted to?" The answers usually given as "no" and "yes." At this point, it is a struggle between what we know we should believe (that he doesn't make mistakes and that he could change this if he wanted) and what we want to believe (that our current state is not right).

Ultimately, such a state of dissatisfaction must be labeled as rebellion against God and his plan for this day. This type of dissatisfaction is remedied only by the blood of Christ, shed for our tragic disbelief, and a submission to God as he as revealed himself in Scripture.

Glad submission in this second dissatisfaction does not preclude the seeking of remedy. We should be cautious about short-circuiting the process that God has brought into our lives through extreme manipulation and even outright sin.

We must let God sit on the throne and be his faithful subjects, submissive to what he has for us this day, and willing to let God be God without our help and advice.

If your dissatisfaction is with your personal holiness, repent and find his deep and abiding grace along with the power of the Spirit to walk in newness of life.

If your dissatisfaction is with God's providence, repent and find his deep and abiding grace sufficient for this present hour of struggle or suffering.