Some people’s heads are bloody but unbowed. They resist to the bitter end and even think they’re doing the right thing. But they may find out they’ve resisted the loving pleading and entreaties of God Himself. Yes, that can happen and does happen; sadly all too often.

God doesn’t usually override human will. He waits for us to be humbled and to recognize His hand in our lives. But there are oodles of folks who will just have none of it. For me, it took the experience of near death and hell to get me desperate enough and shook up enough to choose God. But that’s not even totally accurate because the Lord made it easy in some ways, allowing Satan himself to come and claim my soul, which was rightfully his at that time.

But once I realized that there was a Satan, it was almost like a clue that there must then be “the other one”, God Himself and I called out to Him to keep me from being carried off by Satan to my eternal damnation. And it may be like that for many people, perhaps not as dramatic and drastic as it was necessary for me but still, nevertheless, the Lord often has to draw the line and bring people to a decision, often even a final decision, before they will turn to Him.

As He said all the way back in Genesis 6:3, “My Spirit will not always strive with man.” Or again it’s like in Proverbs 29:1, “He that, being often reproved and hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed.” God never does anything quickly, except judgment. And “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31) Whew, it’s a shake-up just even remembering those verses and writing them down.

But it’s the almost universal nature of every person to be stubborn, cock-sure, obstinate and defiant. Maybe some are less so than others. And maybe you even think that kind of attitude can actually be an asset and an advantage in some situations. But it’s not that way in our relationship with God.

God told Isaiah, “If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.” (Isaiah 1:19 & 20) Willing and obedient. That should be our nature in our relationship with God. But, oh, how often He has to put up with us for so long and sadly rather work us over oftentimes before we learn to humble ourselves before Him.

Actually, when you think about it, it may not be that He “works us over” more than that He just lets us stew in our on juice. He lets us partake of the fruit of our own ways until we come to our senses and realize that we are deeply wrong to insist on our own will, while rejecting and ignoring His. Like the Prodigal Son, he “came to himself” in a far country, while feeding pigs. (Luke 15:17) That’s kind of a funny way of expressing it. Nowadays people say “the lights came on” or, if not, “he just didn’t get it.”

They say, “It takes an impossible situation for God to do a miracle.” And the reality is, each of us is an impossible situation. The Bible says to the believers, “Sin shall not have dominion over you…” (Romans 6:14) But for the unbelievers, the unsaved, the defiant and the vast multitude who continue to “kick against the pricks”, sin does have dominion over them.

Actually, if you don’t watch out (and if I don’t watch out) this can all end up rather depressing. You can get exasperated at how much some people defy the will and love of God. Or you can get exasperated at yourself for how many times you fall into some “besetting sin” (Hebrews 12:1). Like Paul so famously said, “The good that I would, I do not. But the evil that I would not, that I do. Oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?!” (Romans 7:15 & 24)

But it was the grace of God that Paul could even see his condition and pray that prayer since he himself was the one the Lord originally said those words to, “It is hard for you to kick against the pricks.” It shows God can bring us out of our defiance and unbelief, our obstinacy, rebellion and darkness. But Paul had made progress, he had “seen the light” and turned, repented and started down the path of life that was God’s plan for him.

It’s sometimes hard to hold out in prayer and faith for loved ones who remain defiant towards the Love of God. It’s also hard to struggle with some elements of our own personality and areas of our lives which somehow remain unconquered by the power and love of God. The solution? Hold on, for others and for ourselves. Keep on believing , keep on looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Only He can do it, He’s our only hope.