We are surrounded by evidence of God’s authority and glory, but we choose to ignore or dismiss the signs. Take 30 seconds right now, and look up at the sky …do you see what’s happening? The sky is proclaiming the work of God’s hands (Psalm 19:1; Isaiah 40:26). Simply imagine the ocean for a moment – vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number …do you realize what’s going on? It’s an overwhelming Ebenezer of God’s workmanship; in accordance with His infinite wisdom He made the sea and the sea creatures (Psalm 104:24-25)! Next time you’re at a stop light, don’t check your phone, but instead glance over at the driver in the car next to you; and realize that they are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139:13-16)! Whenever you have the opportunity to walk through a field or a forest, notice the jubilant declaration of the pasture, and the trees singing for joy (Psalm 96:11-12)!

All the various signs of God’s authority and glory are meant to make us desperately depend on Him; but we stubbornly strive for the lie of self-sufficiency. And the worst part of our delusional pursuit is the fact that we label our quest for self-sufficiency “righteous.” We are like Ahaz, who was told to ask for a sign from God, but “righteously” refused saying, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test!” (Isaiah 7:12).

We reject God’s signs and lavish invitations to radically rely on Him, and what we’re left with nothing but lies.

Heed the Words of Paul, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

Contemplate the insights shared by Dostoevsky…

“Above all, avoid lies, all lies, especially the lie to yourself. Keep watch on your own lie and examine it every hour, every minute. And avoid contempt, both of others and of yourself: what seems bad to you in yourself is purified by the very fact that you have noticed it in yourself. And avoid fear, though fear is simply the consequence of every lie. Never be frightened at your own faintheartedness in attaining love, and meanwhile do not even be very frightened by your own bad acts.”

“The man who lies to himself can be more easily offended than anyone else. You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take offense, isn’t it? A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but that he has invented the insult for himself, has lied and exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught at a word and made a mountain out of a molehill–he knows that himself, yet he will be the first to take offense, and will revel in his resentment till he feels great pleasure in it.”

― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov