Have you thought about how lucky we are as a family? I don't know how God could of blessed me more. I have blogged before about people in my life that helped to shape me but also shaped so many others. I have always felt very fortunate that I had high quality individuals but also high quantity of time. Many of those people spent a lot of time with me.
The other side is the unfortunate people who have lived miserable lives. They have been abused, deserted, starved, etc. Why does one person have such great fortune and the next person have a life that many of us could not even bear?
Even at a more personal level, why didn't God answer some of my prayers when I needed Him the most?
The quickest and easiest answer is the fact that we don't live in heaven. We live on earth. Good things that we don't deserve and bad things that we don't deserve happen to us. In fact, I could make the argument that I'm not sure that we have earned any blessings. This is an obvious but extremely important point for me. So many people look at what God hasn't done in their life. The 'Why Me" approach. I will even be direct enough to say it is tempting to say "God how could you let my dad die from cancer when I prayed so hard?" Instead I choose to say "God thank you for giving me such a great gift of quality time with a great dad." This is where I prefer to think God cried with us at the death of dad and rejoiced at the sight of him in heaven.
God also has a big picture view of what is best. How many times have we prayed for something that we are so thankful that God did not grant us that prayer? There are jobs that I wanted really bad that I am so thankful that I did not get. God knows best. More importantly, sometimes our wishes aren't best for those around us. Some of the biggest decisions impact family and friends. What would have been best for me may not have been best for Emily and Blake. I am so blessed that God helped me to find a good spouse that is also a Christian mother. While I went through a divorce that hurt and a lonely time where I was asking God for a good companion, He knew that it was going to take some time to align Shari's world and my world together. He also knew that I wasn't ready for another relationship yet. I needed to do some healing. His timing is better than mine.
You do have to have faith that God does know best. He knows that trials build character. He also has a much bigger plan. He wants for us but He wants to accomplish so much more. He wants us to understand his plan and be apart of it. Do you think that some of your prayers are more for earthly good than for Gods plan?
I do believe that God has created a wonderful world. It has magnificent mountains, rivers, oceans, skies, etc. It also has some amazing facts: gravity, sunlight, atoms, cells, etc. It is a master piece. It is not heaven. God wants man to live life to its fullest. When we do badly, our kids pay the price. Abuse your kids and their kids will likely turn in to abusers. Our mistakes can live in our kids for generations. It's not a lottery in which family you will end up in. We are offspring of our parents and grandparents. God didn't choose to put us into the different families. We were born in to them.
I just wrote here about 20mins and it didn't post so I don't know if I can go through it again. It was good :)
ReplyDeleteI will try this one more time but it won't be as good as my first random thoughts.
ReplyDeleteSecond attempt at random thoughts.
A couple yrs ago I said at one of the holiday meetings how thankful I was that our family was healthy and no one had any bad illnesses. Almost every family you know has been effected by cancer or something. A year after that--Cindy has diabeties and Dad had cancer. Did I help the Devil get in? Is there a devil? Did the bad vibes bring it to us? What was God thinking when I acknowledged the blessing?
Yes Brent I agree your life has been blessed. You were the only boy in our family and that brought much comfort and happiness to our parents. They enjoyed spots with you and the things boys do. You were given a nice likeable personality --naive and shy that made teachers and all adults like you. You are smart and that got your through so much. You had relationships with people --differently that I did. You were asked your opinion and indulged in meaningful conversations. I don't remember that in my life. I was just there. I was more abrasive and irritating than you. I was tolerated my many. Not the joy you were. Did God give you that personality and that life? Or were you the good seed? Lucky.
That starts the life--you view things more positively because that was what you had from day one. ??? I don't know.
You aren't supposed to have to "earn" God's love--but ---I don't know.
People who live miserable lives? What is miserable? Lack of love? No home? Being beat up? At what point does it cross the line and become miserable? Why does God allow it? Is he sitting up there saying--"just one slap in the face won't hurt her." Why does he allow a newborn baby to be abused? A totally innocent soul that hasn't made any impression in life????
I was told--have faith and trust in the Lord. All good things will come to you that have faith. Hmmmm--was that baby beat up because he wasn't mindful enough yet to have faith? God is supposed to be all powerful and therefore able to stop that??? Why did he chose not to? The devil? Isn't God more powerful than evil? I don't understand.
Why do you think people that are church going, wonderful, loving people-that have never done anything wrong in their lives are lonesome and sad? blah, blah, blah---
You are fortunate. I agree with that. Why do you think you have been favored upon so much?
I realize I have been lucky too "compared to"--that is the key--compared to.
Day by day--that is all a person can do.
I had many more thoughts but have to get busy. I am fortunate enough to have a job you know.
Jodene, great comments. I think those are the issues that are the hardest for any religious person (Christian or not) to deal with. At what point does God stop everything bad? Would that not be heaven? We have choices on earth. Someone chooses to abuse their child. The child is an innocent victim but God is very frustrated and disappointed. Sometimes I wonder if he doesn't look down on earth and think that there is very little good on earth. If He starts taking an active role in everyone's life, does free will even exist anymore.
ReplyDeleteI really believe that He created a wonderful world and gave us the keys and we ran it in to the ditch. That doesn't mean there isn't a God that cares. There are lots of examples of miracles in the world. We don't understand why there are some but not others.
I also think that you have a way too negative view of your life growing up. You were absolutely the more rebellious child. You were more likely to challenge the norm. You were also much more emotional than the rest of us. None of those traits are bad. That is being an individual. If I could be God and change anything in you, it would be how you perceived others were looking at you. I believe there were times when you were the favorite with Granddad, Grandma and maybe Wes and Joann. You were not only the funnier one, but you worked hard on those relationships. You would visit from college and you were very close.
I have been very sensitive and I think several of us are. We can be the most fun person for the evening but if one person says something negative to us it dominates how we think we were that evening.
I was your little brother. I watched you more than you know. I know how you are. Give yourself a lot of credit. You deserve it and we love you.
Free will--now there is another thing I don't understand. I know we all bring alot of pain on ourselves. I understand that. But for God to choose the abusers free will over the infant's? It wasn't dad's free will to suffer from cancer. It wasn't Lois's free will to be alone. I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteI have done everything I can to have a relationship with God. I have been on my knees, out under the stars and in church and beg him to come to me and change my life--not to make it rosy but to let me feel him more--He ignores me. I am not saying I don't believe but I don't get it.
I am not negative about growing up and our lives. I think we had it great. You are right though--I am negative about me. I am too sensitive too--I feel the same way you described. At this age I am looking back and seeing all the negative things I have said and done and yes--I feel down on myself. My problem. It will pass. Sorry I ruined your blog. :)
Brent--bet I have everyone else scared to comment:) Cindy is under her desk right now.
ReplyDeleteCindy is not under her desk - but face it - this is a topic that I have controversial ideas on. In my opinion, there is no god. In my opinion, much of life is chance but we make our lives what they are by how we think. It is critical to drop the negative, stress the positive, take action where there is a need and let go where there is no control.
ReplyDeleteOur family is fortunate in their ethics, intelligence, personalities, health, and good looks. :) I know that I have had it easy compared to many who strive harder for less. I don't believe that had anything to do with a god but rather the genetic and environmental make-up of what makes me - me.
There you go again--"Our family is fortunate in their ethics, intelligence, personalities, health, and good looks." --I have one of those. Up to u all to figure out which one. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in powerful vibes that bring you good will. I think that if you are upbeat more people are attracted to you and you might get further in jobs, relationships etc..
I believe in God--I just don't understand him and I am hurt right now and don't have the feeling I did for him. I look at him as I have everyother male I have ever had in my life. That explains it all.
Just a note to make sure you understand that I don't believe in powerful vibes either. I believe in positive thought programming your mind to conduct yourself in such a way to obtain your goal.
ReplyDeleteFree Will. To me free will is people choosing to follow Christ and believe in God. The man who beats his baby has chosen to lead a life that is not a christian life. We would all have less reason to be questioning God if everyone chose to lead a better life. No killings, no abuse, donating money to those that need it, giving to charities that could cure diseases.
ReplyDeleteWe say why God? He says why are you living that way?
The say a lot of people view God like you view your relationship with your father. If you father was strict, then you tend to think that God is mad because you have sinned and you will have to pay for your sins when you get to heaven. If you had a very loving kind father, then you see God as a loving God you will be excited to see you in heaven and will pour out his love on you.
I tend to lean more to the loving father that I look up to with admiration and adoration.
I have a hard time understanding the belief that there isn't any God. I can understand other religions who believe that God is something different than what I believe.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that any big bang or two cells happen to come together and it created this wonderful world that we live in.
I believe God is loving and kind also. That is one reason I don't understand the things He lets happen. I know we don't live in Heaven and everything can't be rosy but He could pick and choose a little better. :P. I am not sure about any of it right now. Not sure about Heaven anymore either.
ReplyDeleteFreewill--there have been plenty of Christians that believe in God that "loose it" and commit a crime or something. The Bible is full of Christians that loved God and committed murder etc.. in His name. And what about the person that lives a totally good wonderful life--and never ever in thinks of God. They are just naturally good, loving people--maybe like Granddad? You have people sitting in pews every Sunday that are the biggest sinners in the world. Just all too mind disturbing to me. That is why most the time I just don't take a stand--let it happen to me--like the rest of my life. I believe in God but I wonder about what we have made it to be. Just rambling. No big bang for me either.