STOPS AND DETOURS

How many times in the course of week do we end up being stopped from completing a plan? And how many times do we find ourselves ending up having to go in a different direction than originally expected?

Some attempt to find purpose in everything. They view God as more like someone controlling the strings of life and making everyone and everything do as he desires.

I’m not sure if they truly appreciate the ramifications of such a view. It would me God is personally responsible for every thing that ever happens in life. And frankly I don’t think God would make us do some of the evil and stupid things we all end up doing in our lives.

We are creatures of free will. He doesn’t keep us from making wrong choices. We can seek him for wisdom, but at times I think he has reasons for letting us stumble and make mistakes. Mainly I see that as part of the learning process.

Are there reasons for us to suddenly find out that our plans were pointless and of no real value? And are there times when having to take a different path is part of God’s plan?

I feel the answer is yes. However, I also think that any attempt to build a theology around circumstance by always finding a spiritual meaning to them is bound to end with shortcomings.

The only reason to attempt such a process is in honesty for our benefit. God doesn’t need that type of wisdom.

So at times in order to find some balance or peace about some detour or stop sign encounter it is naturally that we end up in some way taking the path that explains it to our satisfaction. Who can say that such a process isn’t justified?

However I think such journeys are and should be viewed as beneficial to us and not ones that necessarily end with a revelation about God or our relationship with him. Therein lies the danger of such thoughts. We can translate them as universal truths even if they don’t truly qualify.

We can have moments of discovering that do actually bring some honest new truth into our thoughts. But normally I think such events are easy to appreciate because they will often be associated with an experience that is common to all.

But if it is an event that just happens to us or an experience that is intended as our school teacher, then saying that what happens to us will happen to all is an error. It is too bad that life can be easier, but complicating it with creating principles that really aren’t true won’t improve the situation. It is really all about learning as we are intended to know and giving God the mercy and compassion to do the same for others.