It’s good for me to have a little wake up call every once in awhile. On Tuesday, I wrote a blog post about what happens when God works and it is different from what I wanted or expected. I got a great question from Amanda, basically, “What do you mean when you say that God has a plan for me?” It is such a privilege to be able to have a shot at answering your question, Amanda. Thanks again for asking it. I had a great time (and a brain-stretching time) trying to condense everything.
Speaking of condensing, I didn't do a very good job with that. I came up with just over 3 pages in Word. So I decided that instead of typing all of that out here, I would just link to the document.
So here it is! I hope it helps. (I pray it is accurate - please, study it out for yourself!!) Please comment with discernment and in love, keeping in mind that the readers all have different backgrounds, and that we are all at different places in our walks with the Lord. You can contact me personally here
Happy Saturday, Everyone!
4 comments:
okay cool! I will work my way through it. That and scrubbing floor s this fine day. You know you could just copy and paste it in. Thats okay though. Doesn't really matter. Its just a click away!
Jenny, Thank you for your time and effort on this paper. Is is VERY good!... (You are a good writer!) In case, I (or someone else) would want to pass your document on to someone, would you add a 'By Jennifer Forbes'?
You did do a fine job on the paper I learned some things.
I guess I am always questioning the reference of "Gods plan" b/c when someone is suffering and dieing and christians come in and say well if its Gods plan that he dies then he will. I guess I just don't think he plans death and suffering and the time of our death. He knows when we will die. He allows it to happen but it has more to do with the fall of man/adam then it does with my God being mean. I think many of us wonder where does whats happening to me now fit into what God is planning for me? I think he hopes you make the choices he would. The biggest part of his plan is that you arrive in heaven!
In my development I think that I need more explained. A lot of terms just sound like sunday school answers and pat answers. "god is sover, god is just, god has a plan, trust god." They all just feel meaningless
until given context. A young christian may hear that and really think they can jump of a bridge but b/c God knows it all and has a plan if he dies it must be gods plan?? huh?? I am still studying! Eventually i will be able to say what I mean and it will be understood. Thanks for taking a stab!
Amanda, I would love to talk about this with you in person sometime so I know where you are coming from. :-) I think I might be missing the point of your questions. :-) Death and suffering is DEFINITELY a consequence of the Fall, you are right, but the Bible is clear that God has measured our days, and has our "time" in His hands. It is hard to understand and logically think out what that means as far as God "planning" it - and there are probably some things we will not understand, ever. I take great comfort in the fact that God knows when it will be time for me to go to Heaven, and He knows what the best way for me to get there is - whether it be through a long painful struggle or an instantaneous event. The bottom line is that IF I really believe in His goodness, and if I REALLY trust Him and want Him to be glorified, it doesn't matter whether I understand what it is that I'm going through. I will never understand the mind of God fully, and I'm MORE than ok with that. I'm puny, with limited brain capacity, and He is big, limitless.
He's also promised to provide the grace we need in times of suffering, and I have personally known that grace, over and over.
As far as your example about someone jumping off a bridge, well, that person would have deeper issues that need to be resolved. In the act of jumping, he would be declaring that he did NOT trust God to know when the best time for him to die would be. He would be saying that whatever mental/emotional pain he was going through, that God does not have enough power or enough (whatever) to fix his problems. But that is my short answer...and that is a long answer question, too!! :-)
Like I said, it would be great to get together and chat over this - I get the feeling I might be missing what you are really curious about. I am praying for you as you keep studying all this out. Keep asking questions, Amanda! It is awesome when someone is not afraid to ask, and is motivated to know the mind of God on things like this.
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