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For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope hope and a future.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Okay, but if we examine the context of this verse, it doesn't appear that "you" refers to mankind:
Jeremiah 29
1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
[...]
4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives...
It's discussions such as this theme of What's The Point In Life that demonstrate thinking in a box. Same old merry-go-round with biblical verses galore, and affirmations of faith, nothing more. When this subject has logged enough posts to fill 10 pages, check to see if any progress has been made. Probably not. More than likely it can start once again and not get anywhere with more of the same old same old. You can spin your wheels even faster in the mud, but it doesn't mean you are getting anywhere. This discussion is not about the point in life, but has morphed into the usual quagmire of God loves us, search for him, blah, blah, blah. More biblical quotes upon more biblical quotes.
All the more reason I am an athiest. I believe in progress. That means condsidering the whole, not just the part I prefer to believe. Quotes from anybody may often provide stimulus and something to think about, but I don't allow quotes to dictate what I shall or shall not think.
Location: Somewhere along the path to where I'd like to be.
2,180 posts, read 5,421,662 times
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I can't give an explanation for why I feel the way I do, other than to say it is the only real conclusion I can reach about myself after years of constantly being restrained, held back, slowed down, pushed down, criticized, nitpicked, verbally smacked and emotionally kicked around by various people, including friends, employers, co-workers, and family members. I'm not in a position right now where I can simply move on and get away from it.
I try my best to think of others first, to the point that I hurt myself in the process.
As for me not knowing if God actually has a plan for everyone, I mean just that. I think there are SOME people for whom God has a plan, but I also think there are ordinary people who are simply lay people or peasants working on the side of the road of life, who just carry on day to day hoping for the king to smile at them as he passes by. You're part of his kingdom, but you just don't have an important role to play. I feel I'm one of those peasants. If you WANT to try to do something, then perhaps God will give you His support and guide you if you ask for it. But I don't really know that He says "This is what I want Joe to do, and I'm going to make everything work out right in his life so that it does happen, and he'll be happy and important" about everyone.
There's a LOT of "Christianese" floating around that I personally believe is psychological mumbo jumbo, unsupported by the Bible, but which is professed by Christians as if it's doctrine that is spelled out in the Bible - the notion that God has a plan for everyone being one of them. No offense to those who posted that. But I've been waiting 41 years for that plan to come about, and I still see nothing in my life that has made a difference to anyone.
Another example of Christianese that you hear is churches telling people to "come as you are, you'll be loved", and then when you tell those churches who you are, you're shunned. Or "God accepts you just as you are", but then Christians want to point out what's wrong in your life, and you're told that you have to change so as not to be condemned as a vile sinner. When you can't change those things, they tell you it's your own fault, and so when you ask God for guidance or to change those things - and those things still don't change - then it kinda makes you wonder what the "plan" for your life really is.
I'd say my assessment of myself is pretty accurate.
I think this is a warped view of God actually. He does have a plan for everyone, but you may not like the plan. People are so obsessed with "happiness" and I don't believe anywhere in the Bible God promises us happiness. He promises us joy in being in right fellowship with Him. He even promises eteral life that WILL be more than we can imagine it will be, but I once heard a pastor say that the only people who are happy, happy, happy all the time are on the 7th floor of a psych ward!
As for waiting for the plan.....ok, I DO NOT know you or your situation (you mention there is something in your life that everyone thinks you should change so I am thinking that if everyone thinks that, it could be the thing holding you back from right relationship, but I have no idea about that.).....anyway, I don't think waiting around for God to bring the "plan" to us is at all what is implied.
What are your interests? What has God placed on your heart that would bring glory and honor to Him? Seek that and work to achieve that. For me, it was becoming a teacher and then a school counselor and working for 16 years in inner-city LA working with those who many didn't care to work with. God did NOT hit me over the head. He gave me a desire to be a teacher. If he had told me it would be in the inner-city I might not have actually gone through with it.....but it was a process of being obedient after getting my credentials and prayer.
WHAT is holding you back from changing or going forward? Is it your self-esteem? Is it abuse in your past? Is there truly a sin that you are not willing to give completely over to the Lord?
I DO believe in a God that is bigger than all of those things.
Dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by WCRob
I can't give an explanation for why I feel the way I do, other than to say it is the only real conclusion I can reach about myself after years of constantly being restrained, held back, slowed down, pushed down, criticized, nitpicked, verbally smacked and emotionally kicked around by various people, including friends, employers, co-workers, and family members. I'm not in a position right now where I can simply move on and get away from it.
I try my best to think of others first, to the point that I hurt myself in the process.
As for me not knowing if God actually has a plan for everyone, I mean just that. I think there are SOME people for whom God has a plan, but I also think there are ordinary people who are simply lay people or peasants working on the side of the road of life, who just carry on day to day hoping for the king to smile at them as he passes by. You're part of his kingdom, but you just don't have an important role to play. I feel I'm one of those peasants. If you WANT to try to do something, then perhaps God will give you His support and guide you if you ask for it. But I don't really know that He says "This is what I want Joe to do, and I'm going to make everything work out right in his life so that it does happen, and he'll be happy and important" about everyone.
There's a LOT of "Christianese" floating around that I personally believe is psychological mumbo jumbo, unsupported by the Bible, but which is professed by Christians as if it's doctrine that is spelled out in the Bible - the notion that God has a plan for everyone being one of them. No offense to those who posted that. But I've been waiting 41 years for that plan to come about, and I still see nothing in my life that has made a difference to anyone.
Another example of Christianese that you hear is churches telling people to "come as you are, you'll be loved", and then when you tell those churches who you are, you're shunned. Or "God accepts you just as you are", but then Christians want to point out what's wrong in your life, and you're told that you have to change so as not to be condemned as a vile sinner. When you can't change those things, they tell you it's your own fault, and so when you ask God for guidance or to change those things - and those things still don't change - then it kinda makes you wonder what the "plan" for your life really is.
I'd say my assessment of myself is pretty accurate.
Asking God to buy a house for you is selfish gain and goes directly against the very heart and nature of God.
He has given us a brain to use!
Many people seek God when they are not in a horrible situation. My husband is a prime example. God met him on PCH in Redondo Beach and he went to a church there and gave his life to Christ. He had a good job, had friends, was at the top of his game in his golf career, etc....
God is not a vending machine that we put our "good deeds" into and push a button and get exactly what we want.
Dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by GCSTroop
I truly believe that when people are looking for God's guidance they are typically in the worst of situations. Usually they are either trodden with deaths in the family, down and out on their luck, poor, hungry, etc...
I don't think that a multi-billionaire just wakes up one day and starts searching for God. I also think that as soon as this person has something good happen to them they feel it is the work of God. I have gone my entire life without believing in God or searching for God and you know what? Everything I have done I have done for myself through careful planning of my future. I took responsibility for my own actions and laid it out. To leave it in the hands of God is lazy and you will get nothing accomplished.
Ask God to buy your house for you. Wait for it. Keep waiting. Come on God this will help me get through all my financial troubles. Come on! Nothing will happen unless you actually do something. It's a cause and effect. You do something good for yourself and it will come around full swing not because of God but because you set yourself up for success.
I think that you may be right. I don't know....but I do know that the nature of God is still the same with anyone as it was with Jeremiah. He said that prosper would ONLY come if Jeremiah would seek the Lord. What does prosper mean for us compared to Jeremiah? I personally think it means joy found in seeking God and finding him, not some name it and claim it "doctrine" that waits for FINANCIAL blessings to be handed to them.
My life is far from perfect. But I don't look for specific blessings (like a house to fall into my lap or all of my emotional feelings of self to just disapear.)
Ok, I am probably not even coherent at this point so I am going to bed and will re-read this is the am and see if I made any sense. Prob. not.
dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvxplorer
Okay, but if we examine the context of this verse, it doesn't appear that "you" refers to mankind:
Jeremiah 29
1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
[...]
4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives...
I notice that most of the religious replies here say something to the effect that “we are here to do Gods’ work” or “live our life the way Jesus would want” or perhaps some reason from the Bible.
I would like to know from those that posted that type of reply what they think of the few billion that either don’t believe in God or never heard of God? Why did God do such a poor job of getting the word around the world? If he wanted us to do his work, why did he miss so many people? I would venture a guess that it has only been in the last few hundred years or so that a lot of people even heard of Christianity.
According to what I found on the Internet, the most populous nation on the earth, China, did not have a Bible until the 19th century? Was God unable to find China? How are people suppose to do God’s work if they don’t know what that work is? How can they live a life for Jesus when they never heard of the guy?
I understand that Hinduism has been around longer than Christianity. Why didn’t God specifically target those believers and have a Bible in Hindu issued? Why should they be condemned to hell because God didn’t do his job?
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