the one exception being, of course, and necessarily,
the Preeminent One,
who needs not cause, but who is Cause Itself.
We long to know not so much that the events of our lives have logical cause, but whether the cumulative events of our lives,
that is,
the paths our lives take,
have any rhyme or reason at all,
and to what extent.
an accident,
or an anomaly that never should have happened.
This, of course, was mainly my view of how divine sovereignty interacts with human free will.
people are made for each other,
as if they were manufactured,
packaged,
and shipped ready and complete to their complement,
when really,
a relationship requires constant evolution, repentance, and evaluation,
and no single person is another’s full complement,
but that couple exists within society,
and their marriage is held together by and sustained for the purpose of its Third Member,
the Trinity Himself.
I began to believe that God’s will took a primarily spiritual rather than a physiological form in the world. I had honestly become disillusioned with my life’s course, so I began to believe God didn’t have a specific course for my job, my living situation, or another physical choice, just that I was generally supposed to love people and honor God no matter where I was.
Yet, to my relief, upon being recently reminded of God’s intentional plan for human history,
including prophecies about events in world history, and the times and sequences in which they took place,
I reneged on my incomplete worldview.
but this does, indeed,
take a historical and physical form.
In Christ, we are free from the law of sin and death,
and yet, at the current time I am led to believe that God intends for this to manifest itself in a specific, physical way.
That is, when one makes a life-altering decision, that takes them either to a new location or sphere of influence,
God’s hand is indeed in it,
and, indeed,
the geographical and historical direction of daily human life matters to our sovereign Lord.
surely is He not also intentional with how He transforms our world?
Our culture?
Our communities?
Our cities?
Our workplaces?
I am led to believe that God is very meticulous in moving people to their proper places,
for “it is the Lord who builds His church,”
and that, even when we are unaware of His plan —
and assuredly, even when we disbelieve His intentionality —
it is at work in our world, in every corner.
What joy and freedom that brings!
Even when I am not intentional in my life’s direction,
the Lord God intentionally allows my lack of intentionality to occur,
and in so doing,
“works out all things for His good purpose.”
And this is a great comfort.
in the present, I will live intentionally,
just as He is intentional,
choosing to believe
that everything happens for a reason.
Call me an existentialist if you must. But unlike the existentialists, I have a reason to seek reason,
for everything has a Cause.
I do believed everything happens for a reason, Even growing up in a very abusive environment I now hold out hope that God has his reasons for that. I also know that it has molded me into the person I am today and has shaped my life.However I do not believe God was the cause, I think he allowed it to happen and used it for a good outcome but I believe things like that come from evil in our world and in people.
Kristi, that is a very wise perspective. I know so many people who have let regret and shame engulf their lives at some point or another (myself included). But we can’t change the past… and maybe there’s a good reason even for that!
The free will to choose between good and evil was necessary for God to make loving Him a true choice, rather than our default setting. The consequence of that is, well, people choose evil and hatred every day. I don’t believe these individual evils are necessary, per se, in the way free will was necessary for God to create. But I do believe His goodness is so good that it can bring meaning even to the evil that happens to us… and God forbid, even the evil we commit! Of course we shouldn’t go around intentionally sinning, spitting in the face of He who paid the penalty in our place. But if we would seek His face, in all things, I think it would allow His glory to overcome evil more than it ever could if we gave up on His righteousness, justice, and glory.
I’ve been struggling with regret lately. But it’s only when I choose to remember it was He who allowed me to make that sinful or “incorrect” decision in the first place… that I can say, “His goodness is not to small to use even this for a great benefit far beyond my own immediate state.”