How can God allow us to resist Him?

The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 1:6, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ..."


I thought about the word, "deserting." Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia -- these are believers in Christ. How could true believers in Christ "desert" God? Then, I thought about my life. I say I am a true believer and that I have been saved by faith. Yet, there are MILLIONS of examples from my life when I "desert" God and disobey Him. Instead of acting as I say I believe, I act as an Unbeliever.


Then, I thought about the omnipotent God who saved me and who is in control of everything. How can this omnipotent God allow me to desert or resist Him? He has the power to do anything that pleases Him. If my obedience pleases Him, why wouldn't He cause me to ALWAYS obey? Why would He allow resistance and disobedience? I think this question is akin to the age-old question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"


I thought about the verses of promise in the Bible, such as Romans 8:28 ("all things work together for good...") and Phil 1:6 ("He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion...), that tell of God's working in our lives. And, I wonder how my resistance of Him could be incorporated into the "working together for good."


At some point, for Him to accomplish what He has promised, wouldn't there have to be a time in my life of non-resistance to Him? For me to stop resisting Him, does God change my heart without my intervention? If so, why allow me to resist in the first place? He is God -- He can make me do whatever He wants -- whether I like it or not. Conversely, if God and I are in a "partnership" to change my heart, how does that align with Phil 1:6 when it says, that "He" is in charge of working in me?


These are the types of things that make my mind go "Tilt" (in the words of my long-time Pastor, Brian Spencer). Since I can't figure them out, I go back to the things I know to be true:


1. His thoughts and ways are SO MUCH HIGHER than mine.
2. As God lectured Job and Jeremiah, how can the clay/creature question the ways of the potter/creator?
3. And finally, Heb 11:1, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."


By faith, I believe God. I don't have to figure this out -- but I do need to trust Him.


Reading over this post, I wonder if any of my musings make any sense to anyone who stumbles across this blog. Can you follow my thought patterns/attempt at logic? I'm not sure....if not, I apologize to you for not making myself clear. But, that also goes well with my topic -- it's about as clear as mud to me.


This week of reading, absorbing, mediating, etc. on Galatians 1 has been REALLY good! I've got notes of ideas for five more blogs. However, I'm not planning to write five more blogs this week. Probably just one more blog from my thoughts on Galatians 1:12, "Paul's Bible School".