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If God DOES pay attention to the fine details, then the only explanation I can think of for why there is drought, famine, war, floods, hurricanes and other sufferings, is because he does a lousy job. And I just can't accept that.
What you must understand is that God created everything--and that includes evil, and Satan. He is allowing this world to go through a process and has given immediate dominion over the world to His advisary the devil. These things happen as a result and also simply because the world exists in an imperfect state due to the fall of Adam.
But sometimes God steps in to save or stop disasters as He sees fit, and also for those who believe and call out to Him. Ultimately though, He is sitting back and allowing mankind as a whole to learn from the negatives in the world. You can't know what good is without evil, sweet without sour, high without low...
As for those that live and die in sin and poverty and sickness in some 3rd world country...God has provided a way of escape. In eternity, they will be fed and clothed and will bask in the glory of their Creator...so it is easier to understand that although we aren't to accept things being as they are and are indeed called to feed and clothe the needy, we can have relative peace with the apparent atrocities in life, because we know that death comes to us all--and after death, comes life eternal.
I'm of the same school of thought. It drives me nuts when I see football players thanking God for a touchdown or a singer thanking God for a Grammy. There are enough bad things going on in this world that if a God exists, I hope s/he is trying to figure out the situation in Dafur over giving TO another TD. I just can't picture the whole direct hotline to God scenario.
I can understand where you're coming from with this, but people who thank God for their accomplishments are just making sure they're giving the glory to God rather than taking credit themselves.
I rather admire that. It's not an easy thing to do. ESPECIALLY for celebrities. Not that they have egos or anything
Location: Ohio, but moving to El Paso, TX August/September
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Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte
I can understand where you're coming from with this, but people who thank God for their accomplishments are just making sure they're giving the glory to God rather than taking credit themselves.
I rather admire that. It's not an easy thing to do. ESPECIALLY for celebrities. Not that they have egos or anything
See, to me, it's the ultimate in ego. God did this for me because I prayed the right way, because I believe in Jesus, etc. To me this sets up a well if good things don't happen to you, it must be your fault kind of thing. Therefore, good things happen to me because I'm blessed, your not, nanabooboo.
I pray for both. I ask for the outcome I would prefer if it is his will and for understanding if it is not his will.
I think we have a problem when we expect God to always respond to our prayers in the manner WE want him to. Sometimes his will involves discomfort on our part to accomplish something more important.
Somebody once asked me if God answers all prayers. Yes, he does. Sometimes the answer is no. We have to ready to accept that when it happens.
See, to me, it's the ultimate in ego. God did this for me because I prayed the right way, because I believe in Jesus, etc. To me this sets up a well if good things don't happen to you, it must be your fault kind of thing. Therefore, good things happen to me because I'm blessed, your not, nanabooboo.
LOL! Very true. But IMO there is a balance to be found...it is our faith that does change things, according to the Bible.
But Christians do need to remember that it rains on both the just and unjust. So to assume that we know why someone is going through a hard time or not having prayers answered IS the ultimate in ego.
No one really knows but God, so I try not to assume the worst about someone who is already going through a hard time. Why kick them when they are down?
See, to me, it's the ultimate in ego. God did this for me because I prayed the right way, because I believe in Jesus, etc. To me this sets up a well if good things don't happen to you, it must be your fault kind of thing. Therefore, good things happen to me because I'm blessed, your not, nanabooboo.
No not true good and bad things happen to all of us. I do believe that when something bad happens it is allowed by God, sometimes He sends it, sometimes He just allows it, either way He knew about it and because I have Him to lean on I knew everything will be ok. Good things do not happen because one person is blessed more than another and bad things do not happen because someone is less blessed.
See, to me, it's the ultimate in ego. God did this for me because I prayed the right way, because I believe in Jesus, etc. To me this sets up a well if good things don't happen to you, it must be your fault kind of thing. Therefore, good things happen to me because I'm blessed, your not, nanabooboo.
I see it as the ultimate in humility, not ego.
To always be thankful is to show a knowledge that the action was not earned or deserved, but freely given. Anyone who thanks God because they feel they coerced God into doing something or deserved the action due to their own efforts is not being genuine in their thanks but are only putting on a show for their own purposes.
Likewise, if you feel that God will only answer your prayer the way you wish if you earn it shows a deep lack of understanding of the relationship between yourself and God.
I think of God's attitude toward mankind as being very similar to a parental perspective. The parent must discipline, encourage, support, train, protect, and any number of other activities to raise their children properly. If they discount any aspect or over promote any aspect of this mix the child is damaged. God likewise allows us freedom to learn from our mistakes and grow in our successes. He protects us even from ourselves sometimes, but allows us to suffer from our bad choices other times. He provides us with everything we need, but not necessarily everything we want. We have only to ask.
People ask why bad things happen to good people, and the answer is that someone needs it for some reason. All bad things can be explained logically as to how it benefits someone else. Death, destruction, pain, suffering, disease, loneliness....all have a beneficial component to them if you look. It takes a special perspective to understand that our moral judgement of value is not always the only one and sometimes we cannot see the full extent of the outcome of certain events. I believe that everything balances out in the long term and if perfect knowledge existed in the human domain, everything we view as unjust and wrong would be seen as part of the necessary equation of life.
Our prayers are only an expression of our souls. We ask for what we want and God grants what we should have regardless. If we continually ask for things we do not get, perhaps that is just showing us that we really don't know what we need.
See, to me, it's the ultimate in ego. God did this for me because I prayed the right way, because I believe in Jesus, etc.
You're assuming that when we give thanks it is because we've prayed for something. Almost never true. I say thanks before every meal, that does not mean I prayed for my pancakes in the morning. I say thanks throughout the day for many things. It's just a way of staying humble, and showing respect and love for God.
And there's no "praying the right way". I can't imagine why you would think that just because someone is showing gratitude.
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