God’s plan
It is hard to understand so many things about salvation and our life in Christ. I am beginning to understand what suffering is like, but still have figured out why. I can’t see things from the “big picture” yet. I’m so involved in the small things that I don’t know how to see the big picture.
I am beginning to feel overwhelmed by all of the small things that are coming down on me and my family though. I am trying to trust God. I am trying to give myself to him to run my life, b/c none of us do a very good job at that. But its scary, Its scary giving up control, its scary not knowing what’s going to happen. I want things to work out in my timing, and within my parameters. I’m glad that God understands everything about us, and knows that my spirit is pure, and wants what he wants for me, even though my flesh wants the easy way out.
One thing I learned is that God says that His word is a lamp unto our feet… not a headlight that shines from here to Los Angeles. He orders our steps… and he does that one step at a time.
You nailed it Joy… It’s all about control. Especially here in North America where the protestant ideal of individualism is so strong. We cherish our independence so much that we see giving up control to another as giving up our inalienable human rights – A concept that has been engrained in this culture for 400 years.
It has been my lot in life to fiercely guard and exhort my self-sufficience and individuality – Something I won’t(perhaps can’t) give up, without a struggle. To freely subject yourself to another’s will is probably the most difficult thing a human can do, particularly humans that have been brought in this culture.
“…its scary not knowing what’s going to happen…” Even when you act of your own volition this is true. You never know what’s going to happen or where life will take you (that’s part of the fun
). Sure it’s scary not knowing, but no-one knows where life will lead them. We just have notions of where we’d like it to go and try to get there. The journey is the adventure.
Besides who sayz fear is bad thing?
Being afraid – being apprehensive – being under pressure, helps enhance our performance, as humans. It’s one of our biological survival mechanisms – Pretty kool huh?
I’m trying to learn to embrace fear and turn it into useful catalyst.
Sorry for the ramble – I’m done now
Joelb
isn’t it ironic:
“To freely subject yourself to another’s will is probably the most difficult thing a human can do, particularly humans that have been brought in this culture” but the “protestant idea” you present is “self-sufficiency” (which i agree with, for the most part)
Christ’s way is a mystery, in that while every man does eventually stand on his own in the end, community is *vital* (hence the church was established as a visible sign of Christ in the spirit realm). i guess it’s difficult for people to grasp this, so they grasp one or the other, and lose out somewhere.
speaking of rambling…i’m through.
self sufficiency and independence are almost the same thing. These ideas have lead to a break down (or break from) the family values that are prevalent in most Low and Middle income society. We take the good with the bad – In order to maintain a high standard of living, people have to work harder and spend more time building up material wealth.
In this culture, we don’t *need* the family unit for survival, where as many other societies rely on these family groups to ensure their success (as group). It’s a tradeoff – individual success (i.e self-sufficiency) vs. stronger primary group ties (i.e. reliance on family, community, church, etc.)
It’s a shame that the cost of success is so high – It is starting to take an major toll on young people and future generations.
The preceeding message was more senseless pontification from:
Joelb
Late
Poets treat their experiences shamelessly: they exploit them.
The will to overcome an affect is ultimately only the will of another, or of several other, affects.
In such a highly developed humanity as the present, each individual naturally has access to many talents. Each has an inborn talent, but only in a few is that degree of toughness, endurance, and energy born and trained that he really becomes a talent, bec
The disappointed one speaks. I searched for great human beings; I always found only the apes of their ideals.
It is terrible to die of thirst in the ocean. Do you have to salt your truth so heavily that it does not even-quench thirst any more?
Iron necessity.- Iron necessity is a thing which has been found, in the course of history, to be neither iron nor necessary.