Choices have consequences. Bad choices have bad consequences. At least that’s how we want the world to work, especially when it’s someone else dealing with those consequences.

When a car speeds past me on the freeway, and later I see that car on the side of the road in front of a police car with strobes flashing, I think, “Serves them right.”

When someone is thrown in jail for robbing a bank, I think, “The justice system is working.”

When a co-worker gets fired for embezzlement, I think, “It’s about time.”

How do my judgments change when I’m the one who sped or stole and got caught? I think I deserve a second chance. I know my circumstances so I call it a justifiable mistake. Or I admit to my bad choices but still think I deserve to skate past the consequences.

Fortunately, we have a God who thinks so too. When the Israelites rejected Him and worshipped other gods and disobeyed Him in almost every way, God left them to their horrible consequences. For a while. But then…

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and gloom and broke their chains apart.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬

God saved them. Even though they deserved their gloom and darkness.

And He does the same for me today. For anyone who believes in Jesus.

He sent Jesus to take the gloom and darkness that I earned so that I don’t have to.

Dear God,

Thank you so much that instead of saying, “It’s about time,” or “Justice is working,” or “Serves her right,” you forgive me when I cry out to you. You are so generous with your love. Thank you for bringing me forever out of the gloom and darkness I deserve.