Fate or faith?
May 15, 2009 | Just thinking out loud
When I am in a crowd of Christians, I sometimes hear things that make me uncomfortable.
Maybe me saying that makes you uncomfortable. But I think it’s worth talking about. I’ve heard this saying at least five times in the last 48 hours — God knew.
One person shared how they had made bad financial decisions and the turn in the economy caught them heavily in debt.
“But God knew,” the person said. “He’s in this.”
Really? I don’t think so. I don’t find scripturally where we are puppets waved about in the wind by fate. Sometimes our own decisions and choices land us in bad places.
Is God faithful to us as we try to make those decisions right? Absolutely.
Is faith a source of comfort, strength, and peace? Yes.
But when we land in disaster because of impulse or going with our feelings or we lack wisdom, I don’t think we can point to Him and say, “Hey, you knew this was coming so you must have some plan for all of it.”
I’m so far from perfect and I’ve had to trust God in those times when I needed to grow up. But I think God gets a bad rap sometimes when we are the ones at fault.
I also think it’s confusing to people who don’t know Christ when Christians live a random life and then point to God as the one leading them to the bad place just for kicks.
Fate or faith? I choose faith.
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Well said, Suzanne. I hear that a lot too. Sometimes it makes me cringe. Especially when I hear it from women in bad life situations. I
May 15th, 2009 at 8:11 amHere, here, Suzanne!! We as Christian often give the enemy and sometimes God “credit” for what happens when the heart of it is our own flesh – me included! May we all own up to our own bad decisions/choices and go to the Source of all wisdom to get on the other side.
May 15th, 2009 at 8:20 amI totally agree with you. God does know we are going to make bad decisions–some of us more than others. But as people we need to take responsibility for such decisions and allow God to lead us out of the messes we make, learn from them, and give him the glory for the final outcome. Thank goodness we have a loving God who doesn’t keep score.
May 15th, 2009 at 8:39 amYes, God knows our befores, durings, and afters. Maybe you should ask them if He gave them a ‘green light’ on this road they are on. Did they check to see if He was ‘in this’ before they began their journey? Sometimes God lets us run with our rope until we get to the end of it and finally place a call to Him. I have done that before. ‘God knew’ I would turn back. Thank you Lord for being in the race with me. I pray I run after the prize…you. B
May 15th, 2009 at 9:16 amI was recently part of a similar discussion. Someone pointed out that God is like us being parent to a two year old. You see them reaching for that tablecloth. You know if they tug it the dishes will come down on their head. You tell them no. Still up to the toddler. But we know darn well what they’re going to do.
I know it’s a horribly imperfect analogy. But yes, God knows. I think you’re right on. That whole “God knew and He has me here” thinking lets people off the hook for sinning. Depends on how they use it and why. Kinda like faith.
May 15th, 2009 at 12:41 pmGod’s will was still achieved even when Abraham or Sarah took things into their own hands. But other components outside of God’s will got into the mix. That is what happens to most of us. Maybe ‘God knew better’ is what people really mean. And when I get my focus straight and try to learn what He knows (the Word) then I get what God know’s. Don’t always do that now do I?
May 15th, 2009 at 6:04 pmSo true! Sarah and I got ourselves into a lot of trouble with credit cards when we first got married. We exercised no self-control and lived way beyond our means. The hardest part for me was realizing that even though I got myself into this mess I didn’t have to get myself out of it on my own. We did our part and God has done his and we’re almost out of the woods. Thanks for being an inspiration to so many!
D
May 16th, 2009 at 10:11 amHi Suzanne
I would like to respond to this very carefully, because I don’t want to be misunderstood. As a person who has experienced some severe consequences over the last two years for decisions/choices that my husband and I made I understand why people say “God knew and He is in it”.
There are so many examples of men and women of God who followed God and they didn’t live perfect mistake-free lives. We are all guilty of making mistakes. The only difference is the level of consequences associated with our mistakes. Maybe the people in that instant you were referring to are trying to work through getting “back up” and reminding themselves that despite their shortcomings God is still in control of an out of control situation.
I hear “God knew and He is in it” as God knew how foolish I can be and how low I could go and yet, in all my mess He is still in it with me. Maybe that’s not what they meant, but that’s what I hear from my own heart. Maybe rather than coming from a place of denial and blame shifting this person is coming from a place of hope and humility that their situation will get better.
Why can’t we say “when we land in disaster because of impulse or going with our feelings or we lack wisdom, I don’t think we can point to Him and say, ‘Hey, you knew this was coming so you must have some plan for all of it.’”?? Joseph did. In fact at the end of his life Joseph says that God brought him to this place – not his father’s favoritism, not his brother’s evil plans, not the false accusations from Potiphar’s wife. No, he says, ‘God brought me to this place.’ Maybe it wasn’t Joseph’s decisions that caused his brothers to hate him, but despite all he went through he still believed “God knew and He is in it.” I don’t think this gives God a bad rap at. It proves he doesn’t turn his back on us because of our choices. Isn’t that what people of faith and those who are in need of a Savior need to hear? I think so.
I hope you hear my heart in this response.
Blessings,
May 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pmKendra, Chief Diva
GoodLifeDiva.com
Kendra, Thanks for sharing your perspective. No one, especially me, lives a perfect life. And I do agree, that God is with me in the good and bad places of life. I think you and I think a lot alike. What I’m speaking about is to make bad decisions (which I’ve made too) and then to lay those at the feet of Christ as if they were His doing.
I love your kind approach and voice. Point well taken.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:38 amThanks, Suzanne
By the way I follow you on Twitter and I follow Lysa Terkeurst and the Proverbs 31 ministries blog. I won’t be at She Speaks this year. I attended last year. If I’m able to attend next year, I’ll be sure to introduce myself. I am GoodLifeDiva on Twitter.
Blessings,
May 18th, 2009 at 2:17 amKendra, Chief Diva
GoodLifeDiva.com
You know something that bugs me that is said by many Christians is that it was all Satans fault. Satans fault they didn’t have money for their mortgage or for food, etc. So are they saying Satan made them spend money they didn’t have? We had a real struggle financially a little while ago but I couldn’t blame God, or Satan, for that. It was our fault, but praying to God for guidance helped us get back on our feet, along with some restraint and work on our parts.
Or if God didn’t want us to do this or have that he would have prevented it from happening. Does that not go against God giving us free will to make our own decisions, to be responsible? Yes, we should pray for guidance but not lay it all on God instead of listening for His true response!?
I don’t know, maybe I’m confused on both points!?
May 18th, 2009 at 2:17 pmHere, here, Suzanne!! We as Christian often give the enemy and sometimes God “credit” for what happens when the heart of it is our own flesh – me included! May we all own up to our own bad decisions/choices and go to the Source of all wisdom to get on the other side.
May 28th, 2009 at 1:40 pm