Proverbs 28:14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.
Everyone has troubles! Does that mean that we are all failing to tremble before God? In the Book of Job we read:
Job 5:7 Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
The man who said this (Eliphaz) seemed to think that all trouble was a result of sin. Many Christians become trapped in worry and guilt and useless fear because they think God is, or will be, punishing them for something. Our Lord Jesus experienced a great deal of trouble in His life but never attributed it to punishment from His Father. However, we know that He carried the full weight of God’s wrath about our Sin when he suffered and died on the Cross.
God’s Grace tells us that He does not and will not deal with us as our sins deserve. So what is this Proverb about? The key is in “harden their heart”. A believer can become all too casual about pleasing God and recognising His holiness. Without that proper reverence for our Father God we can “fall” into trouble. We can trip up, fall into the mud, lose our spiritual footing.
