How can "free will" and divine intervention coexist?

Question

If part of God's plan is "free will", which includes the following:
- free to believe and have faith
- Choice to sin or not
- people suffering
- birth defects
- cancer
- etc...
Then how can praying for God to heal someone be allowed? Or pray for a miracle. This interferes with freewill. And when that happens, you no longer have freewill.

In short, when divine intervention occurs, you lose your free will. Don't some religions dismiss the possibilities of miracles?

I God, in all of his beauty and greatness, actually came out in the open (as in Moses) and said "Here I am...", then even the no-believers would know, not just believe in God, thus destroying free will.
- get what I mean?

Part of free will, is to live in a screwed up world that has these "ailments"... ... and good things too. Nobody wants to have cancer or birth defects.

Answer 1

Maybe I'm not understanding your question...free will to: Have Cancer??? To have a birth defect??? To live in a third world country and starve??? People can actually DECIDE they WANT these???
Wow!!
God wants us to pray for healing and miracles in our life, He wants to show us He can do miralces, but if we go around not needing them, then we are in Heaven. And last time I checked, it's not Heaven yet. So until then, we will still need to have free will to CHOSE to have Him work in our lives. Or free will NOT to.

Answer 2

Actually, divine intervention or our ability to pray and ask God for divine intervention is NOT a circumvention at all of our free will. Our relationship with God is really not different than a parent-child relationship. Within that context, the child still absolutely has free reign of their own will. However, the parent still sets down the rules and/or guidelines for the child to follow to help keep the child fed, safe, healthy, and educated. Our Father gives us knowledge and/or the ability to be educated and that part is up to us. As is largely how we live our lives. However, you can't find anywhere in the bible that teaches God doesn't step in! God steps in constantly, just like any parent would that loves His children. But it should not be at all offensive that God would step in to heal someone when asked. Or to help someone have faith when asked. This is the same as asking a parent to take their child to the doctor or give them a bandage when they are wounded. Why would you ever want it that God (like any parent) should be disinvited to help just by merit of the fact that He is God! Who else would you want to ask?? If a child need faith or courage, who better to ask than the child's father to come and give that help or courage? Why do you think that is wrong for God to do? If He's a God of love, how would this be a violation of what is good and right?? It doesn't force the person's free will to believe. It doesn't force the person's free will to repent. All it does is give the opportunity to heal or to be blessed by God. The recipient of God's favor is totally free to respond any way they want to. Miracles are wonderful! And as to people's suffering, cancer, birth defects, etc. - God never promised life would be easy, or that this physical life would be eternal. In all of the things that occur to us like cancer, birth defects, heart disease, so many other ailments, diseases and death - being brought low by circumstances really does change a person's heart and life forever. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn compassion, mercy and love because this life is truly over in a moment. I know this because I lost my father suddenly just a few years ago at only 59. He had heart disease. I have a close family member who went to prison. All troubles in life have the opportunity to teach us... if we allow the circumstance to do that. That's truly freewill! Don't get me wrong: it's very hard! But love can really overcome the hardest, most heartbreaking circumstances. Or, we can choose to close our hearts and go the other direction emotionally if we want. Trust me, I know - I did my fair share of that. In all that my family's gone through, my freewill was NEVER violated. Even though I was often prayed for. The prayers encouraged and helped when I let them. The same is true for all of us... our responses to life are up to us. God does not violate our will. Healing occurs to our physiological body, not our will. God never, ever violates our will.

Answer 3

Simple - Free will seeks divine intervention.

Your example on healing is somewhat simplistic - I mean - do you know anyone who is incapacitated in any way who would not want to be healed? I like being healthy myself, and would not be offended if God healed me without checking to see if it was alright!

As far as miracles - I can't ever remember anyone I know or met who complained when God did a miracle for them. God knows all things, and He knows when someone is ready for a healing or miracle as well as if they are ready to accept it. So there is no violation of free will here. Some people are even thankful to God when He does these things for them. It is a sad commentary on human nature that some aren't. They just take the gift and run with it never thinking to thank God for giving it to them. Kind of like we treat one another from time to time.

Whatever religions may dismiss miracles, I can assure you that Christianity in its truest sense is still seeing miracles and healings daily throughout the world. I could write a book on what I have seen God do that defies human logic & rationale.

I think your assessment needs reassessed. Bring on the miracles and healings. I will take all I can get!

Answer 4

I think you're forgetting that man is in a damaged state, therefore his free will is nothing that would ever be acceptable to God in order to merit heaven. Neither can you avoid hell by living a sufficiently holy life. This leaves divine intervention as the only thing that would rescue man out of his condition. Hence they can coexist, only a few limit one of the two. The alternative is to give man totally free will which gives him authority over God and makes divine intervention faulty and therefore only a plan with a foggy outcome, or simply called a mystery and left at that.

Answer 5

Free will we all have (your list is puzzling tho'), divine intervention is praying for God to change something. Free will doesn't just belong to "good people" it belongs to everyone. That means that those who wish us harm, or even those who are just inconsiderate have free will - and when we get in their way, bad things can happen to good people.

Having said all that anything that we choose for ourselves is a result of our free will - including to believe, or not. I don't believe that cancer and other diseases, birth defects, suffering populations, atmospheric catastrophes, etc are a result of individual free will - but they could be a result of corporate or societal free will, couldn't they? For example: pollution, global warming, species extinction, oceanic over-fishing, etc.

Just some thoughts.

Answer 6

It is a God given freedom to be free. Who the Lord sets free is free in deed.. How can one see when he or she is blind and in darkness. All these things you listed will continue on earth because of sin....Suffering,birth defects,cancer etc. We have a choice to pray,have faith, that does nothing to free will. If one disobeys it is their free will if one obeys the word of God it is free will. Does it matter what is permitted by anyone including the religious sect? The world has laws but you and I have a free will to abide by them or reject them..tell me what happens then. Does the world ignore your disobedience and pat you on your back and slap your hand...be for real. No,you pay a fine,or go to jail up to and including death row depending on the crime...Were you born yesterday? God says these things will come upon you :sickness and disease,torment and confusing..he gives you over to a lustful mind. The word of God warns us the penalty for sin..can you hear do you listen. These are penalties for sin.

Answer 7

First of all cancer, birth defects, and people suffering cannot be called free will. who would choose to have cancer? When we are saved most of us freely ask God for guidance in our lives. When we pray we are freely asking God for His help. So why is devine intervention and free well not able to coexist. If I ask for help freely and He gives it freely what is wrong with that?

Answer 8

I see miracles all the time. Some people get them some don't that does not mean God does not love them. Some people get them because they know how to get them. Some pray a ignorant prayer like this. God if you do not give me what i want i will not believe you anymore. This is how alot of atheists and agnostics are born. They remind me of childish bratty ignorant children.

Answer 9

Matthew 19:26 With God, all things are possible

Answer 10

Free will is always within God's plan for us. We can choose to love Him or reject Him. Free will is over when we die. We do not know when the time is up.

Miracles do happen and prayers make the difference.