Hard Times = Call To Repentance

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. [2 Chronicles 7.14]

It won't happen until God's people:

1. Humble themselves
2. Pray
3. Seek God
4. Turn from wickedness

The direct context of this passage is in regard to 'the Temple' and events of drought, loss, or plagues. The droughts, losses, and plagues are plainly and simply the result of disobedience. The Temple is the place where the people are to humble themselves, pray, seek God, and repent when the droughts, losses, and plagues come.

If the Temple is translated in modern times to symbolize Jesus (His Name), then when we encounter hard times, it is indeed time to go to God 'in Jesus' name' and humble ourselves, pray, seek God, and repent (turn away from wickedness).

Unfortunately, when we encounter hard times, instead of humbling ourselves, praying, seeking God, and repenting, we declare our innocence and piously proclaim these hardships are simply our 'cross to bear' or 'clouds containing silver linings'.

Can anyone besides me see the problem with this our present-day religion in regards to hard times?

More often than not, when hard times come, we have indoctrinated ourselves to believe that we are okay and that we must bear some burden in order to reap a blessing at a later time. We have categorized 'hard times' as just an uncontrollable fact of life with no regard even to the possibility that God is calling us to repentance! What audacity we display when instead of repenting we declare ourselves innocent!

The problem lies in our failure to faithfully and genuinely humble ourselves, pray, seek God, and repent IN THE NAME OF JESUS! The Temple was the focal point of the religion of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob just as Jesus is to be the focal point of the religion of that same God today!

The scariest thing about this is that there are those who, instead of humbling themselves, praying, seeking God, and repenting in hard times, will rest on their 'Bible knowledge' and use other scriptures to prove their innocence and therefore support their confidence that repentance is unnecessary. I don't want to be that person!

Father, help us to get back to believing that hard times are Your way of showing us our need to humble ourselves, pray, seek You, and repent IN THE NAME OF JESUS! Forgive us for concocting wild religious excuses (that we call doctrine) that are nothing but pride against You!