Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Sometimes the faithful will believe that their sin is punished by God through the storms we meet in life, that somehow God has turned our lives upside down to teach us a lesson. This may be true of some storms, but tribulation does not mean that automatically. However, sin does open our lives up to circumstances that we may not have encountered had we obeyed God in the first place. In short, many of our trials and tribulations may simply be the result of our disobedience. In this way, we invite strife by allowing sin to beset us. Such is what is happening to our current society. The sin of the world has become so great that our society has convinced itself that sin isn't even sin anymore. Sinful choices have not only become acceptable behavior, but can now be justified by science or medicine or a warped version of what the world believes to be common sense that is so skewed that moral reasoning can no longer be recognized. Right has become wrong and wrong has become right.

The bible warns us of this. In Isaiah 5:20 it states: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Even in my own life I recognize strife to be brought on by past sinful decisions. And in the long run I realize that many of the storms I encounter are truly nobody's fault but my own.

Only dropping to our knees, asking forgiveness, and turning away from our sin can help us break the shackles that bind us and run the race as we should, pacing ourselves, matching stride for stride through obedience to Him the standards the Lord has set before us.