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| source: internet quotes |
This really bothered me. If you want to say we have lessons to learn and can learn from the difficulties and tragedies that occur, ok - I get that... but to say that God ALLOWS these things to happen for HIS purpose? That makes no sense.
I am not a theologian, I'm no expert, but there is a clear distinction between God allowing things to happen for His purpose, and God using the wickedness of others for Good in the end. You see, the difference is 'free-will'. We are not puppets on a string, YES, God has a plan for each and every one of us, but he has only given us guidelines as to how to get to that plan. CLEAR GUIDELINES, but guidelines none the less. We must CHOOSE to follow those guidelines. God does not put up the barriers in our path, we do that to ourselves. God does not decide which events will take place or not, again people choose to do these things.
We can not have it both ways, we can't be both puppets on a string and have free will.
So then we have to answer the question, "where is God?" God is in the same place He always is - with us.
In Boston, God was with the man in the cowboy hat who jumped in with both feet to help and ended up holding a mans artery together with his fingers while they wheeled him to an ambulance.
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| source AP |
God was standing next to the little boy who died, not because God called him, but because some mad man took his life way too soon. Still God was there, to comfort him and to take him in His arms.
God was there in each of the hearts of those first responders, in those who have done the searching since, in those who have been injured, and with those who died. If we believe in Him, he is with us as we go through our lives. When we ask God to help us, we get answers. Sometimes we don't hear the answers because we are looking through tunnel vision. God sees the big picture. He does LOVE us and wants the best for us. But we have to be open to HIS answers to HIS plan for us, not just the answers we want.
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| My camera, above Boulder |
The other day I was having a bad day in my own household, I could have looked around right were I stood to find a solution, but I didn't, I threw a fit and drove off. When I got to where the road took me I ended up in the above spot. How easy it was to find God in that moment. But I opened my heart, I opened my eyes, and I realized I had done the wrong thing, God would have been just as evident if I'd stayed right were I was and opened my heart wide enough too.
God is with us, He does not let things happen for His purpose, but he uses the consequences of our free will choices to make a difference in this world - IF WE OPEN OURSELVES UP TO SEE IT. Again free will. If we walk around with our eyes closed to God we will miss Him, we will automatically be more susceptible to evil and vulnerable to the evil others will do. It is OUR responsibility to go out into this world prepared, open and obedient to God.
"Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done
everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in
truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod
in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith
as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And
take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God." -Ephesians 6:13-17
My prayers go out to all the families and victims of all those that have been affected by all of the recent events. Put your trust in God, place your faith directly in Him, and find peace.
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