Are we responsible for ourselves or not?

Question

I see so many answers out there regarding prayer and asking the Lord and God for help to "see them through" things, like tough times, bad luck, etc., but it befuddles me because I thought God wanted us to help ourselves. (The Lord helps those who help themselves.) Do people who pray every day believe that those who die just didn't ask for help or deserved to die too soon? Do they believe that the people who die have gone because their loved ones aren't worthy any longer of having them around? I certainly hope not, but this is the message I've been getting lately, and frankly it's making me mad. Does a poor person in a ghetto who gets killed in a drive-by deserve to die because they weren't good enough or they were too good and their family wasn't good enough? If they would have prayed, would they still be alive? Can someone explain this blind faith to me? I've lost too much already and can't seem to grasp that concept any longer.

to carol m...I didn't fail at being responsible for myself...I believe that God/Jesus failed me since I did pray repeatedly and faithfully and still lost loved ones to cancer...many loved ones, and am about to lose another. Don't judge people who don't pray. I'm simply looking for input here about the most common thoughts regarding prayer and "miracles" and saving those we love from death.

Answer 1

of course we are responsible for ourselves
people who pray everyday believe in god, and that god has a reason for everything that happens (death)
they don't believe that dead ones loved ones where not worthy
its not that they where not good enough but rather that they had fulfilled their purpose and had done their job,,,, maybe so they could effect your life......
if they had prayed it would have had nothing to do with weather or not they where to still be live, but if they believed it god it would mean they where in heaven

If you would like me to answer your questions just email me. I hope you are okay... you seem sad.

Answer 2

Ecclesiastes 9:11,12 says, "I returned to see under the sun that the swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all. 12 For man also does not know his time. Just like fishes that are being taken in an evil net, and like birds that are being taken in a trap, so the sons of men themselves are being ensnared at a calamitous time, when it falls upon them suddenly."
Time and unforseen occurance befall us all. That means that it is not God's fault that we die, many people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, nothing more. God does not choose our time to die. He does not kill someone because he needed another angel in heaven (as many believe). That would be unloving and contradict what the Bible says, that he IS love (1 John 4:8). Praying to God is very good, it is a privilege. But it does not necessarily mean that God will prevent some freak accident or something like that. Jesus said at John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life." So there will be a resurrection in the near future of the righteous and those that didn't have a chance to come to know God and his son, Jesus.

Answer 3

people dn't live or die based on how "good" or "bad" they are. they die because we live in a fallen, sinful world where people are foolish, selfish and ***-holish enough to kill other human beings, animals, etc. People are awful and they don't think. That's why people die every single day.

Praying isn't the be-all-to-end-all. If you're praying in faith that God can do something, that's good. I always heard an example growing up: You can't ask for a corvette and expect God to have it waiting in your driveway. Your prayers have to be reasonable. Also, there is the issue of what is or is not God's will. Sometimes what we want doesn't line up with God's plan for us. And a lot of the time, what He has forus is better, though we may not see it that way in the moment. It's tough, but that is where the "blid faith" comes in. I personally find it difficult to blindly follow something when i can't see it fully, or even understand it partially. Christianity and God are confusing to me. But the Bible does say that God is supposed to be a mystery. If you really believe, and if you really WANT to believe, you will and you can. It just takes time.

"The Lord helps those who help themselves" - this is actually NOT in the Bible, though it does carry some weight as a mantra to abide by. it's vital to help yourself and to make an effort. some Christians - often referred to as "Hyper Calvinists" - like to leave everything to God and sometimes take that to a major extreme. this is not healthy. you should watch out for yourself, he healthy, safe, smart, get a good job. You can't expect God to just plop money and food and housing in front of you without any effort on your part. Humans DO have a God-given free will which much be used for our own good and prosperity.

I hope that helps ...

Answer 4

God wants us to depend on Him, and pray to Him regularly. We are however, responsible for the choices we make. When we try to live as Jesus did while He was on this Earth, we are pleasing God. Now God is capable of healing everyone, preventing deaths, and other tragedies, but He doesn't always do that. Sometimes we go through difficulties to make us stronger, or to be able to help others when they go through difficult times. God always answers our prayers, but not always the way we hope. We either get a yes, no, or not yet. God is always in control, and things go according to His plan, even though we are able to make choices. People who know and accept the Lord don't always have it good, but He promises not to give us more than we can handle (though I think He has more confidence in me that I do sometimes lol). People that don't believe in God go through good and bad just like those of us who believe. It's just that faith and prayer can be a great comfort, and prayer does work, but we don't always get a yes. I hope this helps. If you have more questions, feel free to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 5

We are responsible for our salvation and where our soul will go when we die. We are responsible for our actions. We also can not expect to get through life on our own, even though so many people think that they can.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

IF you failed at being responsible for yourself, it was because you tried to do it alone and did not ask Jesus for His guidance.

Answer 6

I'm sorry to say that, but God doesn't exist. (Except the one you created for yourself to help you hide from the problems you may have through your life).
You have to learn that dying is an event that will happen to anybody at a certain point of our lives. But death happens randomly, no matter how good or bad you are. You may die tomorrow. or not. Let's say it's 50 50.

Answer 7

Allow me to interject here. First, I don't believe that anyone "deserves" to die. To me, that is absurd. What I do believe is that we are responsible for ourselves, and also for others. I'll try to explain. I believe that nothing is predetermined. I also don't believe in a god. What I do believe is that the choices we make determine what happens in our life. And, in a broader sense, our choices affect the lives of others, because what we do shapes the world around us, which is the same world that others interact with and experience, and it is in the context of that world that people make their choices. But, we are responsible for choosing how to act and react to the world, so we are responsible at the end for everything that happens to ourselves, in one way or another.

Answer 8

When we are young our parents are responsible for leading us to the right decisions when we are adult enough to make them alone.
Our environment is the main highway to our future personallity, body, and mind. Ex if you live in a small rural environment , gio to church regularly with your parents, andlisten to an apprioach based on love and respect with your friendsin the same environment you probley will grow up to be a well adjusted human.
If you are living in an area as a child where your life is ruled by hate (such as a ghetto, or islamic situation where ministers are ministers of hate), little food and constant war than you will most likely grow up to futher you future in to hate and war,

Answer 9

Yes, we are responsible for ourselves because God gives us free will. But He also helps those who believe, trust in Him and ask for his help. Prayer helps, but unfortuneately, sometimes we pray after things happen instead of before. God loves us all, He just wants us to love Him in return.

Answer 10

My belief is that each of us is on this earth for a specific amount of time. It's not up to me to understand how that amount of time is decided. I've held that belief for some time now because nothing else makes sense to me. With that being the case, I try to live every day to the fullest and make sure those I love know that I love them. Things can change in a heartbeat.