Insanity (1 Corinthians 1:18)

A wise man once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Most sane people would scoff at such a statement, averring they would never engage in such nonsensical behavior. Count me within this group. Nonetheless, for years, I was rummaged through the self-help section of bookstores, desperate to find solutions to deal with bitterness toward a colleague or to fix a broken relationship. On other visits, the sections on investing beckoned me to discover a new, sure-fire method for getting rich, better than what other pundits have suggested. This tongue in cheek statement exposed a disturbing and repetitive aspect of my behavior.

For many years, I sought to correct and improve my life with the world’s solutions. But this is a fallen world and we are fallen people.  I was using imperfect solutions to attempt to correct an imperfect person. All this accomplished was to increase my frustration and disappointment. But I kept doing this, over and over again, hoping that it was only a matter of time before I found the solution, the panacea to all my woes. Truly, this was insanity.

My sins continued to lead me down a slippery path to destruction. Why would I continue to place my trust in a failed system? I was unwilling to acknowledge this lie and turn to the Truth.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)

When I confessed and repented of my sins to Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, the insanity ended. For the first time, I saw myself as a fallen person, blinded by sin, and utterly helpless to rescue myself by my own efforts. Only Jesus could do this because He lived a perfect, sinless life, in complete submission to God, His Father. He took the penalty of my sins and broke down the barrier of sin that separated me from God. By placing my faith in trust in Him, the futile cycle of imperfect solutions attempting to correct an imperfect person ended.

Thanks be to God who has rescued me from this insanity and brought sanity to my existence.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.