The Human Problem: The Root of Our Struggles

Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.
—Isaiah 1:4

The world often attempts to diagnose its brokenness through politics, psychology, and philosophy, yet it refuses to acknowledge the one diagnosis that has stood true since the dawn of time: humanity’s core problem is sin. Sin is not just wrongdoing—it is independence from God, a condition that leaves man grasping at self-made solutions while rejecting the very source of life.

Isaiah’s words reveal a sevenfold indictment against Israel, but they apply just as clearly to our world today. The self-centered pursuit of personal gain, the rejection of God’s ways, and the erosion of truth have left nations burdened under the weight of sin. Even the advancements we celebrate—science, technology, medicine—do not remedy the inner corruption that seeps into every generation. Mankind, apart from God, labors under an unbearable weight, longing for peace yet running further from the only One who can provide it.

A tree uprooted from the soil may still look alive for a time, its leaves still green, its bark unblemished. But cut off from its source of nourishment, its fate is sealed—it will wither. So too, when man forsakes the Lord, when he turns his back on the very One who sustains him, he invites death into his soul. The only remedy is not a system, a reform, or an effort—it is Christ. He has already exchanged our sin for His righteousness, our alienation for His presence, our burdens for His rest. To acknowledge Him, to trust Him, is to be restored to life.

Prayer of Confidence

Father, You have already provided everything we need in Christ. You have taken away the burden of sin, freed us from its power, and brought us into Your presence. The world remains restless, grasping at shadows, but we rejoice in the life You have given. Thank You for drawing us near, for sustaining us, and for making us whole in You. We rest in Your unshakable provision, knowing that we are forever Yours. Amen.

This devotional reflects the insights from Ray Stedman’s Immeasurably More, February 1st.