Does God Really Care?

from JoeUser Forums
Does God really care? I find myself at a crossroads in life [professionally], in which I want to know if God is truly interested. In our quiet time together this morning, my wife read to me an excerpt in which the author wrestled with this very question. Is He interested in me personally? Or is He busy with “real” problems? My issue is nominal next to people in foreign countries who wonder if they will eat today, who wonder if they will be murdered by insurgents, who wonder if they will live through the day stricken with disease with inadequate care or medicine... Does He really care about my situation, which is incomparable with those I’ve described?
 
I carry the burden of guilt for feeling selfish about my own concerns while others experience suffering beyond my comprehension. But for the purpose of expressing myself in my current quandary, I pose questions acknowledging that my brain only focuses on the pain in which I feel today and no one else’s.
 
Why am I here? Why am I in a place where I’m made to feel so small? Why must I be where I am led to question my own value and competency? Why must I sit in paralysis watching the tissues of my dreams decay and deteriorate with each passing day? Why am I helpless to the apathy that I find settling in the place where passion and drive once fueled my innate desire to be someone of importance? Why are my accomplishments meaningless to those that surround me; and why do they have the power to transfer their lack of interest in me as an individual to my own thoughts of myself? Why must I continue to remain in this place that makes me feel inconsequential? The abilities I once possessed have been pruned so close to the trunk of who I am, the branches are not only no longer growing, but withering and dying slowly.
 
So, why am I still here? Only God can answer that question, and His voice is silent. 
5,193 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

The better question would be asked by me:

    Why am I here? Here where I have so much that I did nothing for. Why is it that I am not one of the ones with nothing and I, through no merit of my own, recieve so much stuff that I can become physically sick from eating, when there are people dying?

The answer is this:

    God uses the Church for his commandments, and the faith and obedience of the Church is His physical influence in the world (he only does things with minds for the most part, with the exception of miracles), therefore it is not the result of others being persecuted, but the Church persecuting them through disobedience.

Groupy 2 - Organize multiple applications into grouped tabs on your Windows desktop
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
God uses the Church for his commandments, and the faith and obedience of the Church is His physical influence in the world (he only does things with minds for the most part, with the exception of miracles), therefore it is not the result of others being persecuted, but the Church persecuting them through disobedience.
End of quote


I have no idea what you just said. This paragraph has less to say than my roommate's cacophonous farts all day yesterday.

Erathoniel - fail.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

The better question would be asked by me: Why am I here? Here where I have so much that I did nothing for. Why is it that I am not one of the ones with nothing and I, through no merit of my own, recieve so much stuff that I can become physically sick from eating, when there are people dying? The answer is this: God uses the Church for his commandments, and the faith and obedience of the Church is His physical influence in the world (he only does things with minds for the most part, with the exception of miracles), therefore it is not the result of others being persecuted, but the Church persecuting them through disobedience.
End of quote

Huh?

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Locamama, reply 2
I believe that God does care.  Unfortunately, God's timeline isn't always on the same timeline we are. http://www.unityonline.org/prayer/articles/findingRightEmployment.html
End of Locamama's quote

Thanks, locamama. Now THAT was both insightful AND helpful. This is the kind of response that I appreciate...one that recognizes and validates my feelings and offers reassurance of the truth...instead of a sermon full of condemnation and platitudes. I appreciate your link...I'm forwarding it on to a few family members and friends...thanks.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting erathoniel, reply 1
The better question would be asked by me:    Why am I here? Here where I have so much that I did nothing for. Why is it that I am not one of the ones with nothing and I, through no merit of my own, recieve so much stuff that I can become physically sick from eating, when there are people dying?The answer is this:    God uses the Church for his commandments, and the faith and obedience of the Church is His physical influence in the world (he only does things with minds for the most part, with the exception of miracles), therefore it is not the result of others being persecuted, but the Church persecuting them through disobedience.
End of erathoniel's quote

1) "The better question would be asked by me:" So...your question is better than my own...thanks for opening with a response that is so affirming and encouraging.

2) "he only does things with minds for the most part" I supposed I'm out of my mind?

3) "but the Church persecuting them through disobedience." This is NOT the church I want to be involved with. This is the church I want to run from.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
The simple answer is that God doesn't exist. There are lots of life questions regarding belief, and almost all of them require a weird rationalization to answer. One must stretch the boundaries of reason to explain things like "Why do little children who've done nothing wrong at all have to suffer?" The answer always boils down to "Well, the lord works in mysterious ways.."

No, he doesn't. He just isn't there in the first place. See how much more sense that makes?
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

The simple answer is that God doesn't exist.

End of quote

How is that simple?

 

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
"Well, the lord works in mysterious ways.."
End of quote


Or, perhaps Satan works in really obvious ways to make you think God doesn't exist.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ockham,

Hope you don't mind the question, which is a bit out of topic but I have my reasons which I will explain after I ask and hopefully receive and answer. Did you say before you were a lawyer or were in that line of business?
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
The simple answer is that God doesn't exist.
End of quote


Or, perhaps Satan works in really obvious ways to make you think God doesn't exist.
End of quote


Is it just me or doesn't it seem easier to blame Satan rather than dealing with having our beliefs being challenged?
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting CharlesCS, reply 11
The simple answer is that God doesn't exist.Or, perhaps Satan works in really obvious ways to make you think God doesn't exist.Is it just me or doesn't it seem easier to blame Satan rather than dealing with having our beliefs being challenged?
End of CharlesCS's quote

I have found, even as a believer in God, that questioning makes [many] people unnervingly uncomfortable. But, I personally don't believe that I mustn't question or even challenge. OckhamsRazor brought forth legit questions. Sounds like only Christianese was offered to the questions. Why? Perhaps because the questions were hard. Perhaps there are no quick answers. Why are people so quick to give responses such as "The Lord works in mysterious ways?"

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

1) "The better question would be asked by me:" So...your question is better than my own...thanks for opening with a response that is so affirming and encouraging.
End of quote

Yes, but as someone with a computer you should be in the upper 50% of the world.

2) "he only does things with minds for the most part" I supposed I'm out of my mind?
End of quote

Nope. It's perfectly natural to falter. The problem is that if you wait only upon God, but avoid doing your own insight, you will fail.

3) "but the Church persecuting them through disobedience." This is NOT the church I want to be involved with. This is the church I want to run from.
End of quote

That's my point. The church that does not tithe or partake in service is the church that winds up driving the poor into the ground. The Church has the resources to stop world hunger if everyone would tithe.

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Why are people so quick to give responses such as "The Lord works in mysterious ways?"
End of quote


Oh, that's easy. Because it's easier to say I don't know than to bother checking. I believe in God, I just believe in him in a different way. Unlike many, I just don't believe God picks people at random or from a list and gives them good fortune every time something good happens to someone. I think people earn what they get or get it by chance (like the lottery) most of the time. God simply judges you by what you do with your life.

The Lord works in mysterious ways? So does the devil. How can you tell the difference sometimes? But I do find it a bit sad that when someone does something good, it's not always thanks to them, but thanks to God. Which makes one wonder why bother trying if someone else or in this case God, gets all the merit. Why make the effort if according to those who thank God for are basically telling me he would have made me do it anyways so why make the effort? the same can be said for the devil, do something wrong and the devil has you convinced. Not that you had anything to do with it and therefor take the blame.

I think some people expect too much from God and forget to be human. My mom is one still to this date waiting for a miracle that will help her and her family got out of financial problems. I can't imagine why God would want to do something we can do ourselves. But that's just me.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
That's my point. The church that does not tithe or partake in service is the church that winds up driving the poor into the ground. The Church has the resources to stop world hunger if everyone would tithe.
End of quote


The only ones with the power to stop world hunger are those who are hungry. The problem is violence is the only solution. Because those who are making them suffer will never change, and unless you or anyone else expects God to all of a sudden turn everyone good or kill all the bad people (end the human civilization for that matter) violence is the only course of action, no matter what anyone wants to believe (even Barack Obama).
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
Is it just me or doesn't it seem easier to blame Satan rather than dealing with having our beliefs being challenged?
End of quote


God gave free will to choose God or not God. Therefore, anything not God is either from our own exercise of free will or Satan and his demons' exercise of free will. While God allows bad things to happen in order to enable free will, he does not do bad himself. He also works through his church to combat bad things that do happen and turn them good, and to launch other, non-bad-thing-related good works.

So when I say bad works are from Satan, I'm not just saying... ooo, Satan, there's a scapegoat for me... It's because I really believe he is the overwhelming cause of the bad in the world. I don't consider consequences to your own actions to be 'bad things' though, they're just consequences. God does discipline those He loves, not willing to protect them from all harm, because that would cause more harm.

As for SH80's situation, God does really care.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
God gave free will to choose God or not God. Therefore, anything not God is either from our own exercise of free will or Satan and his demons' exercise of free will. While God allows bad things to happen in order to enable free will, he does not do bad himself. He also works through his church to combat bad things that do happen and turn them good, and to launch other, non-bad-thing-related good works.

So when I say bad works are from Satan, I'm not just saying... ooo, Satan, there's a scapegoat for me... It's because I really believe he is the overwhelming cause of the bad in the world. I don't consider consequences to your own actions to be 'bad things' though, they're just consequences. God does discipline those He loves, not willing to protect them from all harm, because that would cause more harm.
End of quote


I understand what you are saying and hope you did not take my quetion as an insult. But I do notice some people tend to blame the devil for all bad things that happen as if somehow people are unable to stop themselves from doing wrong. I just find that ridiculous.
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top

Just to answer the earlier question, I'm a Military musician by trade.  Being one of Satan's helpers is more of a hobby.

 

*tries to look serious*

Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top

Oh...I forgot to answer Leuki's question.

 

It's simpler because it doesn't require rationalization.  Pretty sure I said that.

 

Here's a site some might find interesting.  Or not.

 

Why Won't God Heal Amputees?

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
[
Just to answer the earlier question, I'm a Military musician by trade. Being one of Satan's helpers is more of a hobby.
End of quote


Hehe, the reason I asked was because you said this:

The simple answer is that God doesn't exist.
End of quote


I figured if you were a lawyer you already knew you were going to hell so why bother believing in God. LOL.
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
I WAS going to ask why you were being so nasty by suggesting such a thing! haha :) I'm an atheist...please don't associate me with lawyers :P