The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’”, Genesis 3:4-5

The above reveals for us the most profound struggle of our own existence; which is our desire to govern ourselves as though we are our own god.

Intellectually, it makes no sense. We know that we did not create ourselves and so we have no idea what the “owner’s manual” would say if we had one. We are left with pure speculation as to how to help ourselves.

Emotionally, it makes no sense. Insecurity dominates our thoughts when we try to make ourselves, the highest authority for ourselves. Even as we grasp for control, we know it is out of our reach.

Spiritually, it makes no sense. We have absolutely no control or influence over anything in the spiritual realm, and without God, are totally ignorant of even our own spirit.

The only way being our own god makes any sense at all is through the eyes of our own flesh. We become like undisciplined and rebellious adolescents when our parents have left the house. We revel in making our own rules and living by whatever makes us happy in the moment. And like such an inexperienced and selfish youth, we wind up trashing our own house, being miserable, insecure, in chaos and without the means or even an idea of the direction out of it.

Self-help books are pitiful excuses for real solutions. Even if we realize our need to “get it together”, doing better on our own is impossible. All we can hope for without submitting to the true and living God is to follow some wayward path that might at least make it look like we have it all together. But we won’t. Not without God.

Solomon was right when he concluded, “Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil”, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14