In his natural state, man walks through life using the faculties and talents that are most readily available for his use in achieving his desires. Most never seem to pause and think of where their abilities come from or what they were intended for. As far as most seem to know, their abilities are happenstance, but they are content to make the most of what they have—and use it to their advantage.

The problem is, in an unregenerate life, a person’s own advantage looks a lot different from God’s advantage and plan. Even in a regenerated life this can still shine through from time to time.  It’s so easy for us to forget that our abilities originated with God. And if they were His idea they are also for His use.

Planned For His Use

Colossians 1:15-16 says that all things were created through him and for him—him being Jesus. This includes us and our abilities. Let’s put this Scripture together with the one found in Ephesians 1:4, where Paul tells us we were chosen before the foundation of the world for salvation. And Ephesians 2:10 which says: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. –ESV 

With these three sections of Scripture, we get a picture of the labor God invested in each individual person and the things He prepared for us to walk in. Some of the things He has prepared for us—and maybe all—were in place before He even created the world! 

Biting The Hand That Feeds

So, having established the painstaking care with which the Lord fashioned us and prepared things for us to do with abilities He gave us—can we now imagine or get a glimpse of the betrayal God feels when we squander everything He gives us—using them for our own gain and sinful pleasure? When we do this, we are, in fact, biting the hand that feeds us, as the saying goes. 

In other words, we are using what God gives us, against Him instead of for Him. You see, it’s not harmless to misuse what God gives us. There is no neutral territory. We are either working for Him or against Him. And working against God is a serious matter. But He is longsuffering and patient with us—gracious to bless us and not take our abilities away even if we misuse them. Matthew 5:45 contains a line that goes like this: For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. – ESV

Eternal Consequences

 So, the question is not one of immediate retribution if we use the very abilities God gives us against Him. It’s a question of eternal importance. If we don’t repent of biting the hand that feeds us, that punishment will come in the form of eternal torment. But His kindness and patience in this life is intended to lead us to repentance as a way of escape from hell. 

Even more importantly, God will, if we allow Him, give us a nature that is sensitive to hurting Him without even worrying about the consequences. And He will give us overwhelming desires day by day to do the things that please Him and honor Him. Things that were created for us to do in advance—before we were even born. Let’s learn to love these things and walk in them. The more we do this, the less we will fall into the habit of biting the hand that feeds us.