We Can’t Escape Cause and Effect
“As you sow, so shall you reap” is both a spiritual and a physical reality. Sow acorns you get oaks; this is a natural law that never changes. It is also a law of physics, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” The universe as we understand it, works on the principle of cause and effect. So how can we believe we can overcome some health or spiritual challenge by living the same lifestyle and doing and thinking the same things that created the problems initially? Would it not be a little crazy to think that the solution is to continue the behaviour that causes our pain? No crazier, I suppose, than thinking we can sow acorns and harvest apples!
Of course, some of the seeds of illness were not sown by us. Others were responsible for the weed seeds in our lives and their health consequences. We live in an advanced technological society that has sown to the wind and we are all collectively reaping the whirlwind. I found interesting sites that explore the issue of the toxic burden our bodies bear due to our man-made chemicals (Toxic chemicals) that show we are reaping the consequences of the cumulative and synergistic effects of hundreds of toxic chemicals that our bodies have inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed. We also reap what our society 
has sown. Many of these chemicals are “new” having been created artificially in the past century. And though, only a fraction have been studied to determine their action on biological systems, we know for a certainty that many are carcinogens, teratogens, endocrine disrupters, and nerve toxins. And now we are also adding a new burden of genetically modified foods to our packsack of potential health time-bombs. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-very-real-danger-of-genetically-modified-foods/251051/
Sometimes our lives may seem like the fields that Jesus spoke of in which the enemy had sown the weed seed to choke out the good grain. Sometimes this seed was sown generations ago and we suffer genetic weaknesses as a result. But whether the seed sown was our own, or that of others, the end result is that we suffer the consequence. There is cause and effect. The good news is that there is also healing and restoration. Scripture provides many examples of miraculous healings, giving us all hope that God can intervene to heal – the prayer of faith can save the sick.
Yet, we would do well to notice that at times Jesus added an admonition – a warning – after healing. The warning is to “go and sin no more.” The “sin” is not specified, rather it is a general admonition to eliminate the cause of the problem by ceasing to sow the seed that produced the harvest of illness in the first place. Sin according to scripture is “missing the mark”, coming short of the bulls-eye of righteous living. It is sowing the weed seed – ignoring the commandments and God’s teachings regarding right living and walking contrary to His instructions.
In our quest for health, God wants us to pray for wisdom and discernment to examine our lives and root out the weed seeds – those habits, behaviours, thoughts – that when brought to fruition undermine our physical, emotional, or spiritual health. The weeds in our personal “garden” are different for each of us and it is our job to take on the personal responsibility of self-examination to eradicate the invaders that are choking out th
e hoped for harvest of good health. It is within our power to eliminate many things from our lives that contribute to ill-health – and to plant those things that will bear good fruit.
Perhaps our best first step is to ask God to point out those areas in which we are “missing the mark” to plead as David did that God would have mercy and show him his secret sins, the seeds he was sowing that would undermine his well-being, or be the cause of suffering for others. When we have the wisdom to determine some of the causes of our lack of well-being, then we can take action. Scripture affords us much advice in weeding out the root causes of disease, but it also provides solid advice on how to sow the good seed. Through obedience to our Maker’s instructions we can sow and reap a bountiful harvest – we need to put cause and effect into action for our good, so the consequence will be restored health.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this health blog are based upon the opinions of Rebecca Stewart, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright. The information on this blog is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Rebecca Stewart. She encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional..