There is no doubt that we live in a corrupted world. No one will debate that. Everywhere we look, people are struggling with deep pain, caused by sin, and seeking some way to overcome that pain. In our society, many take this search for healing into the streets and give birth to passionate movements for justice and restoration.
But pain cannot motivate justice, nor can anger motivate restoration. Humanity is broken, it needs to be healed and mended. We deceive ourselves when we believe that the answer to our brokenness lies somewhere on this Earth, or in our hearts.
Why, despite all the striving and good intentions of human justice-seekers, does injustice persist? Why can’t we find and establish justice in our society?
We forget that God is the Father of Justice. He is the source of all that is Good. Without Him, we can’t hope to establish justice, spread peace, and live in love towards our fellow man. God must be upstream from our social reformations. In fact, he must be the source of all our attempts at restoration. He is the one who restores, redeems, and makes all things right.
Scripture is clear that God’s heart is passionate about justice, restoration, and healing the brokenness we experience in our lives. It is also clear that He is the only source of those things. We are told to “wait upon the Lord” (Isaiah 40:31), leave “vengeance” to God (Romans 12:19), and God promises to “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us in his wise timing (1 Peter 5:10).
As we seek to restore the brokenness around us, let us first and foremost concentrate on nurturing our relationship with God himself for from that will flow all else.