Don't EVER say God does things for a reason

There are some bad Christians out there, false prophets, twisting theology to their own means, creating in society a hatred for what they believe are Christian practices.

I'm going to focus on one.

DON'T EVER SAY "GOD DOES THINGS FOR A REASON"!

Don't ever tell a grieving parent that God needed their child as an angel.
Don't ever tell a depressed person that God is letting them suffer for a reason that we don't understand.
Don't ever tell a natural disaster survivor that their life was ripped apart as part of God's will.
Don't say that God LETS bad things happen.

Who are you to claim to know God's will??

"And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Does that mean the 'bad people' who 'don't love God' are exempt? That he turns his back on them and does nothing to help them? NO. He is working to change the hearts of ALL people to love. Some people are not changed yet.

I will point to the scripture that says: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Gen 50:20" This is Joseph, grown up, forgiving his brothers for selling him into slavery at the age of 17.

It does not say GOD intended harm. GOD intended good. He took the bad situation, the negative consequences, and He found a way for His good to still happen.

So you might throw back at me Ecclesiastes chapter 3 "In everything there is a season, a time for... (vs 3) killing and a time for healing..." Does this mean God plans or allows bad things? NO. Killing was allowed as a punishment for some crimes under the Law of Moses, or in war, or in defending yourself.  There is a time for killing, but it is NOT God doing it in this scripture.

Stop pulling things out of context.

He works IN SPITE OF, THROUGH, AROUND, and IN THE MIDST OF our screw ups, our effects that we caused. He has a plan, a grand scheme, a goal, and it is good.

Listen, God is NOT the author, He is the master of reworking flaws. He is not creating situations in which His characters, His people, get hurt. He is not George R.R. Martin. He is a sculptor whose critical eye works with flaws to make something beautiful and good.

Tragedies happen and despite them, despite the evil in the world, God is there. He takes each hiccup we throw at him and he works it into the creation. Nothing we do can throw him off his goal.

GOD MAKES IT WORK.

In order to come into a spirit more closely aligned with God...

Let's be realistic. We are screwing things up in our lives if we personify God as having human qualities of jealousy, revenge, and a penchant for watching people fall down. The reality is that He sees it all and can predict certain outcomes based on our choices fueled by our emotional state. He knows us. He finds a way to bring us around that does not harm us.

Let's be forgiving, and not in the 'I'm sorry' kind of way. The word forgiveness means carrying the burden of sin for the other person. You don't let their actions have the intended effects. Work around, through, and in the midst of the issue, the drama, to heal. God forgives, not letting our causes have the effects we were heading towards.

Let's be trusting. Nothing is so evil it cannot be redeemed in the eyes of God. Even when EVERY instinct you have says the opposite, KNOW that God is good. Everything will work out for good. When every instinct says to hang on and not let go and let God take control, you have to give that burden over to Him. Or when every instinct says to give in and just forget living life, keep hope and trust in the power of God and good to win out.

Yes, life is unfair. There are consequences for actions that you have no control over that may affect you, blindside you, anger you, take you down. As long as you are still breathing, you can have faith that God is working through it to achieve good. Did he create the mess? No. He can make it work for good. Good for you, good for the world, good for your family, your life, your future.

Does that mean he has a 'reason' or 'lets things happen'? No. It means you have to trust that He has a goal and He is there working no matter what unfair thing happens to you as a result of some other cause. You are not in control and you cannot judge, nor ascribe traits to God who created everything. You have to trust. You have to believe. 

Finding Myself: Live to My Potential

I just finished an inspiring book, perfect for a New Year, full of revelations and encouragement and phrased in a very down to earth and a very Christian in the real world way. It's called Packing Light by Allison Vesterfelt.

 After reading it, I pulled out an old journal I wrote only inspirational things in. I found some quotes I wrote down from some forward-thinking doctoral business student. I bet he is doing awesome things right now. In trying to find my source, I have come up empty, but when I find it, I will link it.

In this non-fiction book, the author shares a dream with her friend. Her friend shares her dream back and sees a way to combine them and says, "why not do this?" They decide to go on a road trip to all 50 states and one will sing and get her talent known, and one will write a book about it. They made a list of what things would have to go to make this happen, like their apartments, their jobs, and one car. They decided to sell some stuff, make arrangements, tell people what they were doing, and make it happen.

They followed this quote:

When you talk about something, it's a dream.
When you envision it, it's exciting.
When you plan it, it's possible.
When you schedule it, it's reality.

They do stuff, they rely on the kindness of strangers, they see some iconic sights and do some neat things. They fight, they fall in love, they break up, they make up, they ponder what the meaning of everything is, or at least the author does. She questions God, herself, her motives, her place in the universe. 

This book is about learning that:

Who I am is greater than anything that could happen to me.

But mostly, it's that being who you are to the fullest extent is worship, is living out your purpose, and it is fulfilling. Taking a road trip, doing things, doesn't change the feelings you have of home, of emptiness, of wanderlust, or of seeking purpose. What fills that hole inside you is allowing yourself to be yourself.

Our life is made up of little moments, little decisions, little actions or inactions.

If we focus on holding onto everything, we clutter our lives and create chaos. If we focus on letting everything go, we float off into emptiness and despair. Some things are worth holding onto. Some things are worth letting go of.

The only constant we have is that we are comprised of a wealth of inherent talents and traits and strengths that can be used to make the world and our lives a happy place where what we do changes us and those around us for the better. When we do what we love, or are made for, we glow. That glow is a beacon for others. Living our potential. My potential.

Are there tough times? Sure.

Is there always an easy way out? Nope.

But when we are fulfilling our destiny, we are in the Kingdom of Heaven, or in commune or worship with God. We are exactly where we need to be and who we really are. That just feels good. We are living to our potential.

Here's the Author's blog post about 5 Lies That Prevent You From Chasing Your Dream which I feel sums up the main ideas from the book pretty well. She addressed each of them in her own journey in the book.