I often hear folks bemoan "God letting bad things happen." And I understand how that happens, but if we think logically we must understand that there is only one alternative to "God letting bad things happen" and that would be that we would all be programmed from outside somewhere to be what someone else wants us to be.
What I mean is this: even when we are trying to do "the right thing" we often understand later that it was not the right thing because we had neither complete understanding nor perfect wisdom. So living is learning and growing, or it is selfish, fear-filled and shrinking. If we force others to behave as we understand to be "right," lost is the opportunity to grow and learn and increase in all good things.
This means that not all folks choose to be on the "increase" side of the experience. Some folks decide, either for a while or for all their life's journey, to embrace resentment, anger, jealousy, fear, control and rage in ever growing circles. God always offers us the choice, each moment, no matter what mistakes and choices we have made in the past to start anew, not by magically erasing the consequences of choices, but by offering God's love and acceptance and restoration. It is unfortunate that human beings, who themselves are prone to cling to wrongs and withhold forgiveness, believe that God is like that; God is not. God loves as a good parent loves, allowing a child to experience the consequences of their actions so they can learn; never abandoning or seeking redress for some "wrong" (that has harmed us as God's child, but which has no power to harm God). God is not fear; by God's nature God is not fear or vengeance or retribution. Because God is all powerful, God has no need to fear. Because God is love, love is what God offers to all who seek. Because God is truth, God tells no lies.
When bad things happen it is because someone has behaved out of fear or selfishness, demanding something they believe they have a right to destroy others to get. That is not God's hope for us; that is not God's plan for us. But God does not coerce, control, demand or manipulate; God only loves, offers, welcomes, heals, comforts, tends, teaches, cares for and about us and is faithful to us in all things.
Make choices that make room for the good things in life.
What I mean is this: even when we are trying to do "the right thing" we often understand later that it was not the right thing because we had neither complete understanding nor perfect wisdom. So living is learning and growing, or it is selfish, fear-filled and shrinking. If we force others to behave as we understand to be "right," lost is the opportunity to grow and learn and increase in all good things.
This means that not all folks choose to be on the "increase" side of the experience. Some folks decide, either for a while or for all their life's journey, to embrace resentment, anger, jealousy, fear, control and rage in ever growing circles. God always offers us the choice, each moment, no matter what mistakes and choices we have made in the past to start anew, not by magically erasing the consequences of choices, but by offering God's love and acceptance and restoration. It is unfortunate that human beings, who themselves are prone to cling to wrongs and withhold forgiveness, believe that God is like that; God is not. God loves as a good parent loves, allowing a child to experience the consequences of their actions so they can learn; never abandoning or seeking redress for some "wrong" (that has harmed us as God's child, but which has no power to harm God). God is not fear; by God's nature God is not fear or vengeance or retribution. Because God is all powerful, God has no need to fear. Because God is love, love is what God offers to all who seek. Because God is truth, God tells no lies.
When bad things happen it is because someone has behaved out of fear or selfishness, demanding something they believe they have a right to destroy others to get. That is not God's hope for us; that is not God's plan for us. But God does not coerce, control, demand or manipulate; God only loves, offers, welcomes, heals, comforts, tends, teaches, cares for and about us and is faithful to us in all things.
Make choices that make room for the good things in life.
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