Why Do People Run from the Answer?

People often know the answer to their problem. Yet, only reluctantly do they adopt the answer. They choose to ignore, pretend and run from the answer.

For example, the alcoholic does not go to Alcoholics Anonymous even though he knows that this organization can give him the help he needs to conquer his problem. He denies that he is an alcoholic. He pretends that he can cut back on his drinking. He runs to his drinking buddies for the answer which he already knows. He must admit that he is an alcoholic. He must know he can't simply cut back on his drinking. He must make the AA meetings religiously.

This is true for most problems. We already know the answer but we are reluctant to follow what we really need to do. We know that we have a spending problem but we don't do anything to correct that problem. We don't cut up the credit cards. We don't make efforts to pay them off. We don't stop our current trend in spending. The problem gets so bad that we choose to ignore the bills, the collection calls and the rejections we are getting when we present our cards. 

It is as if we have lost any sense we might have had. It is as if we think that our deliverance will come by doing what we have been doing. It is as if we believe that there will be someone or something that will rescue us. It is as if we no longer have to take responsibility for our lives. We can turn these responsibilities over to someone else someday. They will pull us out of the pit.

Discipline seems to be a bad word when we have a problem. We can straighten things out but it will take discipline. It means we are going to judge what we have been doing as wrong and turn toward that which is right. It means that we will have to grow up.  

We will have to stop romanticizing those who live a life with bills, broken promises and unfulfilled potential. They are a disappointment to those who really care about them. They are a disappointment to themselves. 

This is also true of those who run from the Lord. Many of these are wonderful people who care for others and make a difference in their communities but they will not acknowledge that Jesus died for them. They will ignore how He has pursued them to come into His grace. They will pretend that He either doesn't exist or that they have already come to Him. They will run from anyone who speaks to them, even in a very caring way, about Jesus.

Maybe they are afraid of the peace he will bring like the alcoholic fears living without alcohol. They are afraid that this peace will make them into the Christian hypocrites they already know. They don't want to give themselves to that any more than the alcoholic wants to give himself to a life without alcohol. Their lives are already ordered, why do they need Jesus?

I believe it is easier to get someone whose life is really messed up to come to the Lord than those who have their lives in good order. They are satisfied with life. They are good people but they do not realize that goodness will never get anyone into heaven. They must realize heaven's gift has been purchased by God's sacrifice. No one has the correct currency to buy this gift. It has been given to us by Jesus.

Yet, people run from the answer. I wish they would realize that the path they run down doesn't go anywhere. 

Someday they will.

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)
⁹  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,¹⁰  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,¹¹  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.