Unintended Consequences

Unintended Consequences

Choices always have consequences. Sometimes, the consequences are clearly understood. An example: if you buy the Camaro, you cannot buy the Firebird. Most choices are not this straightforward. There are secondary, and even tertiary effects which either cannot or have not been identified. It’s a lot like playing chess. Each move a player makes creates a new environment for the next move. Good chess players can see several moves ahead. Unfortunately, most of us cannot do the same when it comes to life.

I recently made some choices which had some obvious consequences. There were other things which were potential consequences, but most of these were based on the decisions of others. Some of the potential consequences may not be resolved for a long time.

Then, there are unintended consequences; things which you had no idea would be affected by the choice at hand. I moved into a camper parked in a campground. That was a conscious choice. One thing I did not know was that Verizon had zero bars in the campground. I finally wound up having to switch cell providers in order to have a phone which works in my new home. This could have been determined before making the move. However, I have never had an issue with Verizon service for the past 25 years. It was not even on my radar for things to consider.

It was an unintended consequence. These are very difficult to predict. The best we can do is respond as quickly as we can, making informed choices, to minimize the impact. The unfortunate part is when these unintended consequences affect other people. Correcting these offenses can sometimes take a long time and/or a lot of effort. Some are irreparable.

I am thankful for the grace of God. The Bible tells us it is “new every morning.” It’s inexhaustible. It’s irrevocable. It’s irreplaceable. Grace doesn’t necessarily fix the issue when others are affected by unintended consequences. It is up to them to receive God’s grace for their life. But for me, I can continue to move forward, living life, hoping for reconciliation, knowing I’m good with God, and He is good with me.