Should we always put it on a higher being?

AKA2D '91 · #1 09-18-2002, 07:36 PM

Whenever things do not go the way we want it, should we automatically say, "God or higher being did not want me to have it?" Or, is it that we did not plan appropriately to receive whatever it is that we wanted?

If my cousin didn't call me today, do I put it on God (higher being) or the fact that her phone was disconnected because she did not pay her bill?

Do we use our higher power as an EXCUSE

to make us feel better?

oneinamillion · #2 09-18-2002, 07:43 PM

I just don't know how you chose this one because I've been thinking about this...
you know how people say "If God wants you to have it you'll have it" or "God has something better in store for you".
This is a very interesting topic and I believe that we do take these statements for granted to therapeutize ourselves when issues take an unexpected turn.
But on the flip side there has been times when I really wanted something and I didn't get it and sooner down the road something way better came along.
But the statements are over spoken alot.
Makes me think of the son "what God has for me it is for me"; nevertheless people over use it when it's something they're truly at fault for or something that could have been avoided.

Honeykiss1974 · #3 09-18-2002, 09:17 PM

If you are truly close within your walk with God, I do believe that you can "hear" or see genuine signs from GOD that can be an affirmation as to what to do...or not to do. GOD will direct you to acccomplish His goals for your life in a way that will not violate His laws.

For example, if I go to Macy's and get caught shoplifting, then it would not be right for me to say "Well, I guess GOD did not mean for me to have that blouse that I stuffed in my purse". Of course He didn't! You are straight violating His word.

Another example, could be those times where you wanted to acconmplish something and everything just seems to "fall into place". Is this GOD? I believe so because His word tells us that sometimes, He does things with a certain order or peace about them.

Sometimes GOD will also allows things to not go the way WE want them to save us from GREAT pain and HEARTACHE. Sometimes we listen and do it His way(although it might not be the "popular" way). Other times we allow the influence of man to dictate what we should do and not God. Guess how that ends up.

To make a long story short, do I think this phrase is overused - could be. Depends on the person's everyday actions, words, lifestyle, etc.( are they a blatant contradiction to His word or not?)

Oh course we could pick apart this and apply it to simple things but honestly, when you are talking about GOD...anything is possible.

FeeFee · #4 09-19-2002, 09:34 AM

On the flip side, when things don't go the way people wanted them to, or if they find themselves in a predicament, they tend to always want to blame the devil. "The devil is trying to attack me, the devil this and the devil that". Sometimes bad things happen to us because of our own foolish actions. If a person has diabetes or hypertension and doesn't change their eating habits and continue to get sick, it's not the devil attacking you! What you need to do is check what's on your plate and make the necessary changes!

If you ask God for his guidance and help, He will do so, but He will not always do the work Himself. Sometimes you have to meet Him halfway. Like the saying goes, "God helps those who help themselves". You can't ask God for example, to help you pass your final exams if you showed up for class only five times in one semester. It just won't happen like that.

poodleNtraining · #5 09-19-2002, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FeeFee
On the flip side, when things don't go the way people wanted them to, or if they find themselves in a predicament, they tend to always want to blame the devil. "The devil is trying to attack me, the devil this and the devil that". Sometimes bad things happen to us because of our own foolish actions. If a person has diabetes or hypertension and doesn't change their eating habits and continue to get sick, it's not the devil attacking you! What you need to do is check what's on your plate and make the necessary changes!

If you ask God for his guidance and help, He will do so, but He will not always do the work Himself. Sometimes you have to meet Him halfway. Like the saying goes, "God helps those who help themselves". You can't ask God for example, to help you pass your final exams if you showed up for class only five times in one semester. It just won't happen like that.

Yes Ma'am, yes ma'am. Faith without work is dead, if you don't do what you need to do on your end, He can't help you on His. If God just did it all for us, what would be the point of us being here at all? Don't use "the Devil did it" or "God didn't will it" as an excuse for laziness and inactivity. "God didn't will it" only applies when you try to do something and you work at it and it doesn't come true. For example, in high school, my best friend wanted SO BADLY to have this one position, and he ran TWICE for it and lost each time, he was heartbroken, but I told him that maybe that was not what he was meant to do, so he ran for another postion that he didn't really think of before, but is actually a higher postion. He ran and won, and he loved every minute of his job. So sometimes that statement is valid, but not as an excuse for lazy people.

Honeykiss1974 · #6 09-19-2002, 12:44 PM

Both Fee Fee and PoodleNtraining are right on point!

Koss28 · #7 09-19-2002, 01:12 PM

You guys are right on point. People do overuse both terms. I'm guilty of it as well, especially if things don't go my way. Then again, I've seen people have such miserable luck that I wonder sometimes. The best we can do is follow his word. God has an individual plan for each of us and just because you can't get that Benz like the Jones doesn't mean God doesn't have something else that's more important.

Koss28

delph998 · #8 09-19-2002, 04:27 PM

Honeykiss, Poodle, and FeeFee, you all are so on point! God also does certain things to get our attention, to prove a point. I know there are some things that I wanted to happen on MY time, but God wouldn't allow it because 1) I wasn't ready 2) He was proving a point to me that I wasn't "seeking Him first...", etc. If you're in touch with God and you know who HE is, you know what's up.

Gyrl7 · #9 09-27-2002, 05:45 PM

Fee-Fee good points, I agree with you 100%. "the devil tryna mess BUT GAAAAAAWWWDDD gonna bless me with that house." Meanwhile, the last time you paid a bill was before you stopped paying attention. Given honuss to gawd who is head of my life, the devil was messing with me this mornin, I had chest pains when I woke up and almost had to go to the emergency room, but when I heard the word of the lawd being preached on TV, I put my down my plate of ham, grits with extra butter and fried eggs, I said THANK YOU GAWD, fo savin me!

Basically we can't keep praying to our higher power for healing and other blessing and when we get sick we are quick to put blame on the prince of Darkness...

straightBOS · #10 09-28-2002, 12:28 AM

I think it depends on what type of relationship we have with our God or Higher Being.

Are you constantly aware of his presence, midly aware, or only aware when something happens- good or bad, that commnads you to take notice?

I think we use these terms to re-assure ourselves that there truly is someone up there, and He knows what we are going through, and even though we feel that we might not be able to bear our burdens, at least we do not bear them alone.

I can't really call it an excuse because for some religions, good and bad acts can be punishment and rewards for individual behaviors, so maybe the person was right.

I'm a fatalist myself, I recommend it for a stress-free existence.