70 Things - Futility - Weekly Briefing

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70 Things - Futility

Written by Patrick Morley

Monday, January 24 2011 00:00

26. Futility

A man's futility sharply contrasts with a woman's futility. Women feel the pain of the fall in their children and marriage (relationships); men in their work (tasks) (see Genesis 3:16-19). Men must do their work while feeling the prick of thorns.

Glucose is composed of three chemical elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. In a similar way, the world is composed of three forces: good, evil, and because of the fall, futility. For your average man, evil is a small problem compared to his futility. A lot of his life just doesn't seem like it really matters-probably for you too.

Futility, however, is the grace of God that is saving men:

For the creation was subjected to frustration [futility], not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it [God], in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)

Teach your men that futility is the chief tool by which God sovereignly draws us to Himself of our own free will. In other words, He sovereignly makes life so miserable that we turn to Him of our own free will. What an amazing God! (Incidentally, this perfectly explains the relationship between sovereignty and free will). God even bends the free will of unbelievers to His will through futility (e.g., consider Pharaoh, "let my people go," the plagues, and the eventual exodus). Teach men that God not only uses futility to reach us, but for us to reach others. Paul said of his futility, "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:15). Teach men why their futilities, like those of Paul, are worth it.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Deliver us from evil." He did not teach them to pray, "Deliver us from futility." That is worth pondering.

Yours for changed lives,

Patrick Morley, PhD