Dr. Pat Fagan recently wrote an article that examines happiness and relational failure on a global scale. If our world is arguably the most materially prosperous we have ever been, why are our relationships failing more than ever before in history?
While many would regard the phrase grace builds on nature to be a theological statement, Dr. Fagan believes it deserves consideration in the field of social sciences. In relationships, we see so much suffering: STDs, abortion, suicide, abuse, human trafficking and an epidemic of loneliness. Happiness in families seems less and less possible. As a society, we want happiness without the effort needed to get there.
This effort is found in marriage and worship. In marriage, men and women find happiness by serving one another rather than themselves. And in worship, they find happiness by serving God over their own desires. No matter how you look at it, love is the heart of this relational crisis. Dr. Fagan wrote, "With love everyone thrives. Without love everyone wilts. It is as simple as that."
So if grace builds on nature, then relationship solutions cannot be manufactured-they are delivered in relationships: one relationship at a time, each one containing some aspect of love of the person or of God.
To read Dr. Pat Fagan's blog, click here.