When God Used the DEA

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD. Judges 3:12

In both jail and in treatment, I’ve encountered many men who, when threatened with criminal charges, turn to their faith, hoping that God will get them out of trouble. I’ve even heard them pray like this – God, please conquer the forces of evil in this world. Deliver me from all who would oppose you (and themselves). These men have broken the law in some way, but in distress, they turn to God and, believing themselves to be on God’s side, they now interpret any threat to their freedom as opposing God and his will.

It’s a strange phenomenon, but I get it. When I used my prescribing power to obtain opioids, my diversion was eventually dragged into the light, at which point I had to answer to the DEA and the state medical board. Both entities threatened my career. In my distress, I turned to God, asking him to deliver me from consequences. In that place, it was tempting to see the DEA and the medical board as enemies. Because I’d turned to God, it was just a short leap to see them as God’s enemies as well because I was on God’s side, right? I was clear minded enough by then that I didn’t adopt this point of view, but it was tempting, and I understand how a person gets there.

As Christians, we’re prone to believe ourselves to always be on the side of right and good. This is probably true of anyone – Christian or not – but because we understand ourselves to be on God’s side, we see anything or anyone that opposes us as evil. Today’s passage reveals however, that God uses and even empowers to those forces that he would use to discipline us. In the story, the Israelites wandered from God and so God strengthened Israel’s enemies, giving them victory over God’s people. I imagine that in their distress, the Israelites appealed to God, asking for deliverance from God’s enemies, not realizing that they themselves were no longer on God’s side.

I’ve always believed in God, always accepting his existence. That is very different than following him though. I believed in God but I followed me. Following God’s will places me on his side. Following myself places me in opposition to him, even if I believe in him. When I follow my way, God uses others to inflict consequences upon me. In that scenario, it’s not those others that lie in opposition to God – It’s me.