God has a plan. An observation and a question.

[PeppermintPatty]

My faith-based answer is that you will know what His plan is for you when you completely choose to follow His lead. Surrender and cast all your burdens at His feet as you completely trust and obey, staying focused, listening, and seeing your life make more sense, have more purpose, feel more fulfilled, etc.

It may not look like what you WANT your plan to be but it will look more like what you NEED your plan to be in order to be the best you were meant to be. It won't necessarily be easier because we grow from trials and tribulations...and growth is best for us. And when you waiver from leaning on Him completely, which we all do on occasion, you will know that too because your life will will start to get messy again and off-center and less fulfilling. You'll just know. Then you just get yourself back on track as you trust and obey again.

Quote: “Surrender and cast all your burdens at his feet as you completely trust and obey.”

Ok this is similar to all my spiritual literature that says ‘acceptance’ is KEY to enlightenment.

Acceptance requires us to make peace with our environment no matter what, which can be difficult to do at times. My major problem with this is that if we accept everything as is, how do we stick up for ourselves gracefully.
Not defending ourselves can come across as being a pushover that others take advantage of.

How to you balance that aspect of acceptance?

Let go? Let God? That was what I used to repeat to myself when animosity rose up in me.

 

[Gary O']

In Revelation 1:14-15 it is written “that Jesus's skin was a darker hue and that his hair was woolly in texture. The hairs of his head, it says, "were white as white wool, white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace.”

John was writing in vision
He wasn't describing Jesus on earth

About the only thing, biblically, is He was of Nazareth
They didn't cut their hair

 

[Jamala]

John was writing in vision
He wasn't describing Jesus on earth

About the only thing, biblically, is He was of Nazareth
They didn't cut their hair

Jesus was a Jew. He had short hair as all Jews at the time would have had. His skin was dark, not white as portrayed in Western art. Realistically, he might have looked like this:

 

[Gary O']

His skin was dark, not white as portrayed in Western art.

True

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Today while walking , instead of focussing on having a positive attitude, I instead focussed on surrendering ALL my worry and fear. I’m tiring myself out just worrying and somehow I’d forgotten the significance of surrendering.

Before when I used to walk, I’d seek clarity from within. It wasn’t something I’d even have to strive for, I’d just instantly get it while walking with my dogs.

Lately I noticed that I’d substituted ‘letting go’ to phasing out and trying to analyze and dissect problems. Inside I felt like, I could ‘think’ my way out of my burdens. Somehow I’d forgotten that it’s probably the worst thing I could do. Intellectualizing problems just complicated problems so I threw them to the clouds today and oh my, there were clouds

After doing that I had the most amazing feeling of pure peace. Something I haven’t experienced in a long time. The area I was walking in felt so incredibly peaceful and so soothing. While walking I actually felt connected to all the beauty I was seeing and then I felt a message from within telling me to feel the energy or vibration in order to guide me. It’s the question I asked Lara. How do I know? And there it was. It was beyond a lightbulb moment. It’s like the sky opened up.
Oddly enough yesterday my intuition was trying to tell me something and I was ignoring it. The messages got stronger and stronger and I still didn’t listen. Yesterday was a very unusual day. Today was the nicest walk I’ve had in a long time mentally and spiritually.
A person can live in the most beautiful place but if their mind is tormented with worry then it’s just pretty scenery. Today I found genuine peace and it was exactly what I needed.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

God has a plan. I hear this a lot especially from desperate people or those who are suffering. Some tell me this when I am struggling and it doesn't comfort me a bit. I wish it did. I usually go silent when someone who is hurting badly says this, more to themselves than to me, and just let them talk.
We all have challenging times in our lives at some point and feel stretched to the limit. Maybe we need real help or a definite plan that we are privy to not just patronizing words that are easily dismissed. I've seen a lot of loved ones die, many well before their time, a couple by suicide and I wonder, what was God's plan for them because it didn't work out too well.
A plan implies sharing. In war, Generals make plans and share them with subordinates. How else can a battle be won? Similar strategies are employed in sports where teams have a game plan with specific plays to achieve certain results and victory.
What good is a plan when it is kept hidden from those it directly concerns?

How do you feel about the title "God has a plan"? And do you think His plan should be shared with us so we could cope better with life's slings and arrows?

You stated some of the reasons - some but by far not all - I don't beleive in God. Controversal thing to say and I don't mean to offend anyone so please don't take offense. What is is and if your faith is strong, it's not threatened by my disbelief. I respect your right to it so carry on and go in good faith but please extend me the same courtesy and respect my right to disbelieve. It's called religious freedom.

But I hate this over simplistic reasoning too because it is over simplistic but more because it assumes that the person has the same belief you do which is egotistical and condescending. Christians are supposed to be humble but often carry a smug superior attitude like they're somehow better than you. Eh. There's bad and good in every relgious mindset. There's a lot of good morals taught in the Bible so I respect that and, honestly, I prefer a true believer to another atheist who equates the absence of God with why not be amoral. Morals are important. What we do effects this world and our quality of life - as we're seeing with so many these days having no moral values. Most "sins" are just good common sense. Of course, no other gods before me makes no sense if god dosn't exist but things like stealing, adultery, murder, and so on - are not desirable to have in the society you live in for obvious reasons apart from religion. There's sound common sense rasons to keep adult relations (to put it delicately) for instance in a committed relationship.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

This reminded me of all the times in my life when someone said, "God never gives you more to cope with than you can bear. And I would reply, "then I've been terribly over-estimated."

The bible believers will say all the plans are there, clear as day. Since I'm not one of them, I still repeat that I could not respect a god that stood back and watched atrocities unfold. That's not a plan.

Exactly. Even on the slim chance that I am wrong and God does exist, I could not respect such a God who is currently giving me more than I can cope with. Nor a God who would condemn good people to hell for simply not believing without proof in his existence and thus failing to kiss his a-- er, I mean worship him. This would make him, frankly, a trillion times worse than Hitler.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

I've never read the Bible cover to cover nor have I spent much time in church.

I doubt that anything I can say about my relationship with God will help you with yours.

I guess it's up to each of us to form our own relationship with God or go it alone.

Good luck.

I have read the Bible cover to cover, several times over. It's what cost me my faith. It just wasn't credible when you read the whole thing instead of the nice sunshiny verses Sunday school teachers and pastors pull out of it for you. Or the one's with lessons warning you to have faith like the book of Job. It just doesn't make sense as a whole and contradicts itself too. I read it to get closer to God and understand him better before anyone accuses me of not having actually believed at that time in my life. Oh, the irony. I understood better alright. It's all bunk.

 

[Knight]

No, because God created us with the ability to make our own choices and some choose not to follow God's plan.
God probably has to tweak His plan for us according to where we are in our journey when we finally decide to listen to His plan

How do you separate God's plan from the death of many in the mass shootings that have taken place. Does God's plan begin at birth? If it does can you explain why some are born mentally of physically unable to care for themselves? Poverty or extreme wealth can you explain that plan?

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Well, I’m not religious but do know that something extremely intelligent created us, all the earthly species, the stars, the suns, all the other planets as well as our entire solar system. I don’t think it was some powerful man in the sky dictating how our lives are going to be.

Whatever created us, gave us the ability to make our own decisions. Not all our decisions are wise. Some decisions put others lives at risk which I don’t believe has anything to do with our creator.

Even weather that’s not favourable, like tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, snowstorms, sandstorms, etc., we blame our creator for. If our creator created the weather we disapprove of then our creator also must have created all the beautiful weather we have also.
We can’t very well dismiss one without the other.

I’m not mentioning this to get into some type of religious debate. I just mention it as ‘food for thought.’

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

Just my theory but here it goes. There are two entities fighting it out.....God and Satan, each powerful in their own way.

Maybe the disasters in the world are caused by Satan, and then God comes along and gives the people a way to help those in need.

Putin....was he a product of Satan......Mother Theresa, a product of God. One good, one evil.

Illness may be caused by Satan, we do not know how or why cancer starts, but then again God is there guiding a physician with skilled hands.

We just don't know the plan, we may never know, simple as that.

I guess I could be considered a part time Christian, I turn to God when a need arises.....better than turning to Satan methinks.

Explain Satan then. God supposedly created everything - including Satan. If God doesn't make mistake, explain that rather obvious one. God is ultimately, if you believe in him, responsible for all evil as well as all good and, no, I will not accept free will as an argument. I think it's the weakest of all arguments. It's just a get out of jail free card for God - one that he should not be given. He has some serous explaining to do. Beyond that, it isn't really free will if you're punished for exercising it and punished a trillion times worse than Hitler's worst. Thank God I don't believe in that fictional SOB.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

As for heaven and hell, that I do believe is what humankind creates on planet Earth.

This! Both exist - right here on earth and only on earth.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

Agreed, but I see nothing wrong with the belief if it gives some people comfort.

If it does just that and nothing more but that's rarely the case. I'm atheist but actually believe in the power of pray for the believer. It's a psychological trick that calms them and prepares them for action. Quiet reflection/meditation can work just as well for we nonbelievers. However, most believers - most, not all - are at minimum, think themselves smugly superior to us and at worst start wars or otherwise kill in the name of their god. We do have equivalents in unbelievers, of course. (Bad and good in every group.) Communist countries that outlaw religion. Richard Dawkins - ducks because this usually gets me utter hatred from other atheists for daring to criticize the athiest pope - is an utterly despicable snob. He's actually promoted calling believers dims and making it illegal for them to raise their children in their faith. If you ask me, there's nothing dumber than an atheist that doesn't believe in religious freedom. We are such a tiny minority. We're a growing minority in that belief just is not standing up to modern scientific knowledge but even if we become a majority, do we really want to oppress the believer? I know I don't.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

Well, I’m not religious but do know that something extremely intelligent created us, all the earthly species, the stars, the suns, all the other planets as well as our entire solar system. I don’t think it was some powerful man in the sky dictating how our lives are going to be.

Whatever created us, gave us the ability to make our own decisions. Not all our decisions are wise. Some decisions put others lives at risk which I don’t believe has anything to do with our creator.

Even weather that’s not favourable, like tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, snowstorms, sandstorms, etc., we blame our creator for. If our creator created the weather we disapprove of then our creator also must have created all the beautiful weather we have also.
We can’t very well dismiss one without the other.

I’m not mentioning this to get into some type of religious debate. I just mention it as ‘food for thought.’

Fair enough but food for thought - the fair weather does not compensate for the horrific weather. That there are people who live relatively (relatively because no one's life is perfect) good lives does not make up for the truly horrible lives lived by others. Frankly, even if heaven were the reward in the end - it's not but for the sake of argument if it were - it does not make up for all that befalls people on earth.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

Sunny said:
We need a "plan" to be kinder to each other, and to the planet. It's up to us, and OUR plan.

To me it means treating others as you wish others to treat you and treating the planet as if it is the home your grandkids will inherit from you. What Sunny said seems simple enough. What parts did you not understand?

Why would you assume I'd wanted to be treated in any given situation the same way you would want to be? We are two different indviduals and it's egotistical at best to assume I'd want to be treated the same way you would be. Maybe I just want to be left alone to sort things out for myself. Sorry but I really, really, really hate the egotistical Golden Rule.

 

[Timewise 60+]

The greatest mystery of life is what happens to us after we die? If you are a Christian, you believe in life after death. Many non-religious people must believe that at death we are gone, nothing remains, like turning off a light switch. I of course recognize that other non-Christian religions do believe in life after death. I read recently that "all the major faiths believe that after the spirit has left the body, it moves on to another existence."

To be religious you have to be able to accept a level of 'blind faith.' You cannot find a purely scientific model or math equation that proves God or a supreme person (exist)ed. So, if you are troubled about if God is true and if an afterlife is possible you have to accept that a level of blind faith will be necessary. As a believer, I also accept this 'blind faith' principle as part of the proof that God does exist.

But to each his own...

 

[Jamala]

If it does just that and nothing more but that's rarely the case. I'm atheist but actually believe in the power of pray for the believer. It's a psychological trick that calms them and prepares them for action.

Really? A psychological trick. My, that's a new one. Where did you hatch that from Mr Atheist?

Can you prove there is no God? Let's be real here. You cannot prove that ... nor... can I prove there is God.... but I believe spiritually there is.
So we may be both right or both wrong. At least I feel comforted in my belief about God. How do you fare with your disbelief?

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

I think that was God's plan when he sent Jesus and he was definitely not imaginary.

People had been following the letter of the law (Ten Commandments) but leaving out the love that was supposed to be behind it. Jesus's Sermon on the Mountain was all about that. For example mankind understood the, "thou shalt not murder" commandment but Jesus said don't even be angry at people. Don't just forgive people a few times, forgive them over and over, treat them as you would treat yourself, love your neighbor as much as yourself, love children most of all.

Being kind to others was Jesus's plan over 2000 years ago, we just didn't follow the plan.

Wow, I have soooo many problems with this. One of the commandments is honor thy father and thy mother. My parents were childbeating (expletive deleted). I simply cannot honor them. Anger is a tool when used properly. It's anger that makes for social improvements and greater acceptance of those not like the majority. Without anger, we'd still have the horrible institution of slavery and (speaking as an American) be subjects of the Crown. Without anger, I never would have left my abusive ex. Without anger, I would not have skippped state with my daughter and protected her from his abuse. He was later convicted of abusing other children. And, yes, MY daughter. She became mine and not ours the second he laid hands on her. Without anger, child labor would still be a thing and the 40 hour work week would not have become the norm. In fact, that the work week has steadily lengthened is due in part to apathy and workers accepting that condition instead of fighting it and demanding things like pension plans like they once did. Anger can get out of control but it very definitely is a necessary and good thing.

As for God's plan needing Jesus to die on the cross - that's just sick and twisted, frankly. "God" couldn't come up with a more humane plan that that!? Not much of a God then.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

Quite the risk, creating beings with the power of choice.

If The Creator zapped whoever fell outa line, those remaining would behave out of fear


Have to let things play out
See how/why evil is evil

Frankly, there's utterly no excuse for God not striking down the pedophile with a heart attack before they can harm their first victim.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

No, silly, because God did it.

So if God does it, it's alright!? You must be a Democrat.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Fair enough but food for thought - the fair weather does not compensate for the horrific weather. That there are people who live relatively (relatively because no one's life is perfect) good lives does not make up for the truly horrible lives lived by others. Frankly, even if heaven were the reward in the end - it's not but for the sake of argument if it were - it does not make up for all that befalls people on earth.

You are missing the point. If you are going to blame bad weather on our creator then you also have to give credit for the good weather and I think we have more good weather than bad and let’s please not dismiss the fact that mankind ( US ) have created most of this bad wealthy through our greed and selfishness.

If we are going to blame our creator for all the bad things humans do, instead of blaming ourselves , then we have to give credit to our creator for all the good things humans do.

That judging thing slides both ways.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

God's plan looks identical to a world where things happen randomly without explanation.

Interesting, isn't it? Sort of like the old saying God helps them who help themselves. Gee, I wonder why that is. It's almost as if God is about as real as Jack Frost.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

The sins of the father (the earthly father). That was a common practice in biblical times.

Tell me you don't actually accept that sick and twisted explanation. My parents were scumbags. I accept no responsibility for anything they did, let alone going back even further generations. Nothing anyone who came before me did was my doing and I should not be held responsible.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

The greatest mystery of life is what happens to us after we die? If you are a Christian, you believe in life after death. Many non-religious people must believe that at death we are gone, nothing remains, like turning off a light switch. I of course recognize that other non-Christian religions do believe in life after death. I read recently that "all the major faiths believe that after the spirit has left the body, it moves on to another existence."

To be religious you have to be able to accept a level of 'blind faith.' You cannot find a purely scientific model or math equation that proves God or a supreme person (exist)ed. So, if you are troubled about if God is true and if an afterlife is possible you have to accept that a level of blind faith will be necessary. As a believer, I also accept this 'blind faith' principle as part of the proof that God does exist.

But to each his own...

And I can't. But, yes, to each their own. Carry on and we'll agree to disagree.

 

[Blaze Duskdreamer]

Really? A psychological trick. My, that's a new one. Where did you hatch that from Mr Atheist?

Can you prove there is no God? Let's be real here. You cannot prove that ... nor... can I prove there is God.... but I believe spiritually there is.
So we may be both right or both wrong. At least I feel comforted in my belief about God. How do you fare with your disbelief?

That Ms. Atheist. And your rather poving another comment of mine in this thread about feeling smugly superior to me becasue you believe in something whose existence isn't proven and makes no logical sense. Surely, you've heard this before but (yawn) here goes: You can't prove a negative such as God doesn't exist. The burden of proof is on the one making the claim - God does exist - not the one sceptical of said claim. So ball's back in your court. Prove he does. Last I checked, and I spent 10 years as a Christian, and before I went atheist I went Jewish then agnostic, even Christians believed you have to accept God on faith. Because he can't be proven. Atheist, btw, has stuck. Judaism didn't hold up under close examination either and I did not go through with the conversion. Agnostic was four years after that of don't know, don't care refusing to think about it until one day I just said there is no God and realized that really somewhere in that four years, I had come to that conclusion. Logically.