Friday, January 9, 2009
Can God talk clearly?
This is in many ways related to the last post, but I thought I would go ahead and write it as a new one because there is sort of a new spin to it. As I have struggled to make my recent move to the UK. I have been plaqued by buerocratic red tape. Besides the startling fact that most Govt agencies accept the ones that make sure you pay your taxes, are incompitent and take forever to do things, I was realy surprised to find out how much they can screw up you life and your plans. If you don't do this or that correctly they will mess up critical things that you need, and what is more they are never clear on how to do things so that you don't screw them up, so in the end you just stumble through it by trial and error and hope for the best. This brings me to my point. At what point when something becomes so hard do you stop trying to exhaust your options and accpet it as the will of God for you not to do that. Is hardship a sign. If you are doing Gods will should you expect doors to fly open for you? Or as is usually the case with me do you have to pound on a door for a good while until it falls of the hinges and then walk through? Is this how God works, can't he just speak clearly and tell you what he wants you to do? Why do we always have to wonder if this road block is going to be the one that breaks us? Judging from what I have seen in the story of Moses I am inclined to believe that God gives us trials to further reveal his glory by overcoming them for us. Then again moses had very clear instructions telling him what he was supposed to do. I came to England because it seemed to be a good move to make for my family and for what I want to do with my future. I asked God if that was what he wanted for me but he didn't say anything. So why has every step (and I do mean every single step) been met with dificulty and unusual problems? At what point do I quit or do I keep beating down doors until they open? Why doesn't God speak clearly what he wants? Perhaps I am unwilling to hear, but as a parent I have ways of making my children listen to me. Do you guys look at events in your life as a sign of God's will?
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Chris,
ReplyDeleteLet me start off by saying I truly, in the now infamous words of yesterday, “Feel your pain.” Often times, at moments like these, a well intentioned friend recommends Scripture verses that abound with clichés. While support for my answers come from God’s Word, I want to make sure that we relate as individuals to the subject at hand (therefore the lack of Scriptural references as support).
My first question would be, “Are you enjoying what you are doing?” I’m not asking if you are enjoying the struggle. Nobody can say they enjoy “to struggle,” however an attitude of “rejoicing” should never depart. A friend of mine, desiring to be a duplicate of the “Barbarian,” often laughs about the fact that his arms hurt. He calls it “good” pain. He understands that there is a reward on the other side. Hence my second question, “Is the reward worth the effort?” If yes, you continue until the pain abates, which depending on the goal may last an incredibly long time. Nothing great was ever achieved easily!
Is hardship a sign? It is in many ways the crossroad. I think this is why “we” are often perplexed. The idea of not knowing where a road leads is and can be quite disturbing. But I must confess that I have learned to enjoy the scenery. Is this the direction God wanted me to go? I don’t know! But I do know that I am where I am and that God is with me. In many ways I believe that this is what God is trying to teach us. Regardless of our inadequacies, and unfortunately for me there are many, God is with us. So I keep knocking on doors with a smile on my face!
Although I would agree with you that God is the One who overcomes, and that it is “for us,” I believe it should be done with the attitude and the understanding of “with us.” No matter how bad it seems, how wrong it may feel, how dark the valley may be, God is with us.
I am not certain that this helps but believe me when I say, you are not alone. All of us have, are, and will continue to experience the same thing you are going through (understanding not necessarily to the same degree, or in the same way). My prayers are with you brother. May God allow opportunity to meet preparedness.
Your Brother in Christ
Jack