Christians - what do you think of the phrase, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life"?

Question

What would you say if you were able to preach to 1,000 people in Tower One of the World Trade Center, the day before it collapsed and killed them? Could you tell them that God had a "wonderful plan" for their lives, knowing that they would die the very next in such a horrible way?

This phrase is not Biblical. It gives people a false sense of security and creates false converts. Look at the way the disciples died - stonings, crucifixion, etc. Was that wonderful? No, but it gave God glory.

When a Christian preacher in China was asked how Americans could pray for his church, his response was, "Pray that we do not become like you."

If we are to share God with people who are already content in their lives - they have money, friends, and all kinds of good things, why do they need a God who will make their life wonderful? They already see it as wonderful.

http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch/stream_wonderfulplan_broadband.asx

Mark 13:12-13
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

I don't mean that God doesn't have a purpose for our lives, just that it may not be "wonderful" by our standards. It is a dangerous statement to make when people see 'wonderful' as having lots of money, never being in a situation of sadness or upset.

Answer 1

I think it is a metaphor that works very well. the highest human need is self-actualization or individuation, which means finding your purpose in life, which is inevitably how you are going to contribute something to the lives of others. That flows out of that spiritual energy which we call God. While God is not a guidance counselor with an actual plan, that energy manifests itself in us when we reach those heights.

On your comment about the WTC people - that other humans freely chose to commit an action that ended those lives does not mean those people did not have a purpose toward which they were working and would have achieved had evil not been done to them.

Leslie D. Weatherhead argued that we can think of God's "Will" as having several levels or stages - God's intentional will (the original "plan" for your life, for example), circumstantial will (what God does when human free choice confounds His original plan), and ultimate will (what God will naturally accomplish no matter how many times humans get in the way).

In other words - when humans are evil and mess up God's "plan" that doesn't argue against the assertion that there was a plan to begin with.

Answer 2

It's just more holy rolling hype.
If there was a god, and he did know everything, wouldn't he just step in and stop all the evil in the world. Like the 9/11 attack.
I read on a wall once, that god was alive and well and living in Panama, he just doesn't want to be bothered. How true is that?

Answer 3

The first time I ever heard that, I do remember, I believed the first part, but that second part made me feel anxious. A plan? A set or specific plan? I then spent innumerable hours worried I would not be finding out what He wanted me to do.

Answer 4

It means we are to trust Him with everything we got!

Since He has already planned everything out,we are to continue down the road He has built for us,listening to the instructions He has given us.

God bless ya.

Answer 5

I am not a christian. But someone is going to be upset if the believe that then get cancer and can't afford their medical bills.

Answer 6

He has my whole life planned for me.
My life in Heaven will be better than I could ever imagine.

Answer 7

Great stuff - unless it clashes with your idea about what God wants.

Answer 8

LOL So what happens if you have other plans?

Answer 9

i believe it!!! Praises God

Answer 10

i believe it?

edit:
yes i would, 9/11 did not alter my faith.