When I was a kid, I got saved. Church people told me "Be faithful to God and he'll be faithful to you." I took that to heart, as I did everything I was taught. I believed God for success in this life against a lot of odds and the harder life got, the more deeply I trusted God. Well, the bottom still fell out. The rug was still ripped out from under me. Rather than blame God for not doing what I thought God should do, I simply reformed what I believe about how God operates. I concluded that God cannot be counted upon to intervene in the affairs of this world; I concluded that much of what Christianity teaches is wrong when representing God as an interventionist, including what I had always believed about atonement. I say people believe in an interventionist God simply because it makes it easier to cope with life's heartache and uncertainty? Can you honestly tell me I'm wrong without doing so just to hold on to your coping mechanism?
2006-11-09 15:02:21 · 17 answers · asked by ? 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yeah, I'll kinda have to agree with you, we each get dealt different hands in life, some of us are "blessed" with a life of ease, others get dragged through the mud. I don't necessarily look at God as a being who "owes" me anything, but I also can't explain some of the coping mechanisms -- tools, if you will -- all of a sudden made available to me during really bad spots in my life. I don't expect God to just swoop down & rescue me, neither does he just play with us like so many puppets. Live your life, God is still God, forget about whether He is testing you or making you wait for that great unseen blessing ahead. Don't try to figure Him out at all. He gave you His Son with a promise of heaven. And some tools to make life better if you look around. That should be good enough.
2006-11-09 15:25:50 · answer #1 · answered by ccrider 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like my life story. God never promised anywhere in the Bible that He would intervene or protect us from bad things. Yes, there are real miracles that happen through faithful prayer - It seems as though the miracles happen where and when God would be glorified as a result of the miracle and others were "saved" by witnessing the miracle.
However, think of all the prophets who died by the sword. Why didn't God save Christ from the cross? John the Baptist was beheaded - no intervention there either - yet God had specific plans for John's life from the time he was in the womb. Maybe there is something specific in the plan for your life that required going through a "Refiner's Fire" of sorts? You will only know it when you get to that "epiphany" of "that's why God allowed that stuff to happen to me!"
Apart from the miracles that glorify Him as a result... God's ability to intervene in day-to-day circumstance is limited to His ability to influence the heart and mind of each human - to intervene on that would be breaking His own law of free will.
Now - What God DID promise was that he would help us through the difficult times (when we sought His help, that is) and that He would provide us eternal life with Him in Heaven as long as we maintain our faith/belief in His Son's death and resurrection - the Atonement is true - even when we backslide (and we all do!) He is there to help us back.
If you like reading... I really was helped by the book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" - maybe that would interest you?
Also, try praying for revelation on what you read in your Bible instead of relying on religion (stick with it, it will come.) That too was a significant lesson I learned.
Bless you!
2006-11-09 23:25:10 · answer #2 · answered by Evy 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is a hard question. I understand where you are coming from. I have had hard times in my life that I questioned where was God at? Why was he not answering my prayers. But I then started reading my Bible more, and it says it will rain on the just and unjust alike. Also, sometimes we are being perfected through our trials and tribulations of this life, and how we respond to what comes our way. Do we still love God no matter what? That is the real test. I so understand your question. Been just where you have been, and the only thing I could do was look up and trust God that He knew what He was doing in my life. I think God does intervene, sometimes in our lives when we pray for his will, other people and for unselfish things that will glorify Him. A friend of mine has migraine headaches which are debilitating for her. When she prays she says O.K. God, you know I need to be able to think clearly and do the job at hand. You are the creator of my body and head, so if you take it away, I accept your healing, but if you don't I accept that also. I praise you either way because you created me. You know what I need. Your will be done. I have started praying in that manner and then I just accept it is up to God. Our lives were not promised to us to be perfect or easy, Only when we get to heaven will it be easy. We are just learning right now.
2006-11-09 23:24:20 · answer #3 · answered by Just me 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God will always answer our prayers if we are faithful. Maybe not in the way we want but in the most righteous way. I too had a very hard life. I lost both of my parents by the time I was 20. I now look back over my life and can see were God guided me in different directions. Everything happens for a reason. He uses our tribulations in our lives not to make us miserable but so that we will be part of God's perfect plan. He will use our tribulation to build up another person .. there is no better way to encourage someone when you have been there yourself.. I have helped more people in my life from my experience and that is what God is looking for us building up one another. Read the book of Job were God tested his faith. He allowed Satan to destroy everything he loved. But in the end Job became a great inspiration for us all. Keep yourself open to the Lord and don't shut down. Onward Christian Soldier !!!
2006-11-09 23:15:35 · answer #4 · answered by ckrug 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I really do not know what happened to you, and i can say that i wouldn't understand how much pain you've went through. I'm not pointing anything to you, just in general. When we face difficulties, God isn't gonna help if we don't do anything at all. In fact, sometimes God allows problems to come to bring us to another level. We all learn from experience don't we? BUT, God knows how much we can withstand, and would not allow a problem, big enough to crush us. Sometimes, problems come, caused by people. its people's choice and decision that creates a problem. I came to a point where i had to face, one after another. My dad was beating my mum, my mum is now getting back with her ex-husband that is not my dad. I would have 3 step siblings. My best friend betrayed me and had a relationship with my boyfriend. And i'm facing my final exam soon. However, i do not hate my dad. I love him. I cried, being afraid i loose my mum's love, yet i accepted. I went on a holiday wif my new 'family' and had fun. When i found out my bf cheated on me, the next day i was still talking and laughing wif my best friend. Maybe some would say i'm stupid, or dumb, Or lying, but i'm not. it wasn't easy, but God helped me through. He talks back to me, everytime i feel hurt and angry. He ensures me that everything will be fine. What did he do? He helped me change and look at things differently. He is not a God that just wave His magic wand and all your problems dissapear. He gives you joy when there isnt, strength to go on, and the heart to love others, no matter what they did to you. A miracle is not a problem-free life. A miracle is getting through the toughest times, where it is normal to fall down and not being able to get up. Everytime i am at church, praising God, i feel my burden lifted when i just focus on Him, and there is a sence of peace and joy. I am here and i can't judge whether you're right or wrong. Only you can judge yourself.
I'm really really sorry if i have offended anyone in this reply.
2006-11-09 23:31:45 · answer #5 · answered by pizza5354 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry that life has taken a turn for the worse.
You have a choice though...believe what your mind & the world will tell you, or believe what men who were with Jesus the Christ will tell you.
I argue that God not only intervenes in our lives, but directs the whole course of history, since he is creator, and since the biggest thing in history does not happen without the least thing (ie, everything is dependent on other circumstances).
I would argue this from numerous OT & NT texts....that God is sovereign....in the Bible you will see a LOT of bad things happening....murderers, persecution, injustice, but God is on His throne, and injustice will surely be repaid. So we must trust in Him, even when it hurts badly.
Again, I could use alcohol or drugs or sex or entertainment or money or friends or you name it to cope with hardship....but I am
saying that biblically, I would definitely rethink your position.
Also, let me encourage you to look for God, not for earthly prosperity....looking for our highest joys here is an ultimately unfulfilling task. Trying to know God as our highest joy is not.
Hang in there, will pray for you
2006-11-09 23:20:34 · answer #6 · answered by Jr Pren 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You don't expect me to believe that God is responsible for your tough life any more that He was responsible for Job's tough life. Christianity doesn't teach anything but what the Bible says. If you don't believe the Bible then you don't believe God because it is His Word. You've heard the idea "coping mechanism" from someone else because you did not come up with it on your own. Stop listening to false teachers and return to the only hope you have.
2006-11-09 23:22:27 · answer #7 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
God has chosen a time to intervene and he will not be late. He has allowed wickedness and all these bad things so that we could be born and learn from our mistakes, etc. but he has never left us entirely and soon, he will abyss Satan, rid the earth of the wicked and resurrect the dead. When the governments close the false religions, you will know Armegeddon has begun.
2006-11-10 00:37:59 · answer #8 · answered by Sparkle1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because of your own personal experience, you completely changed your concept of God and how he operates (or doesn't operate) in our lives. You say that you did everything you were taught. Did you read the Bible and pray regularly? Did you fellowship regularly with other believers?
2006-11-09 23:23:05 · answer #9 · answered by David S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you. God doesn't reward or punish, he simply provides laws which we can either go with or against. If we go against them we suffer, if we go with them we tend to be happier. Heaven and hell are just myths to scare people to play Church politics and give their power away. The reality is that we need to find the will of God in our own life by ourselves. This can't be taught in any church, it is between us and God. It is also something that must flow and live. It is not a stagnant thing that is written in stone.
2006-11-09 23:10:21 · answer #10 · answered by taotemu 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋