Comments on: Sometimes, I don’t like any of the answers. http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/ This blog needs a description! Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:24:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jerry http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-102641 Jerry Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:17:43 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-102641 When it comes down to it there is only "the" answer. We, as humans, very often find that hard to accept. We want specifics, and arrogantly, we usually want them now, as if God owes us an explanation. It is our nature. It's something my wife likes to the "human condition". You can throw in whatever this and that into the equation you wish, but when it comes down to it being a "Christian" is very simple, trust Jesus. Everything else is extraneous. Yes, everything. I am not saying everything else is bad, only that at the bottom line it is unnecessary, and can often get in the way and cause you to lose focus on Jesus. But the "human condition" strikes again. We usually can't accept that it is that simple. God invited the Israelites to come on up the mountain and have a direct relationship with Him. No, they couldn't do that, that's too easy. God said that we really don't want a king, but we said sure we do. Simply, and as fully as you can, trust Him. Life will still happen, but the more you are able to trust Him the more your mind, heart, and soul will be filled with peace. When it comes down to it there is only "the" answer. We, as humans, very often find that hard to accept. We want specifics, and arrogantly, we usually want them now, as if God owes us an explanation. It is our nature. It's something my wife likes to the "human condition".

You can throw in whatever this and that into the equation you wish, but when it comes down to it being a "Christian" is very simple, trust Jesus. Everything else is extraneous. Yes, everything. I am not saying everything else is bad, only that at the bottom line it is unnecessary, and can often get in the way and cause you to lose focus on Jesus.

But the "human condition" strikes again. We usually can't accept that it is that simple. God invited the Israelites to come on up the mountain and have a direct relationship with Him. No, they couldn't do that, that's too easy. God said that we really don't want a king, but we said sure we do.

Simply, and as fully as you can, trust Him. Life will still happen, but the more you are able to trust Him the more your mind, heart, and soul will be filled with peace.

]]> By: Catherine http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-99173 Catherine Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:59:45 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-99173 Michael, You've said what I've been feeling for the last several years. I'm dealing with chronic headaches for no real good reason. I went from being a family doctor to a stay-at-home mom (both good careers, but not exactly the career trajectory I had planned). And none of the "Christian" answers really seem to work. Most of the time, my husband and I just trust Jesus and hang on. Would you believe that life is better in many ways than it was before this little saga? OK, except for the near-constant pain. But, God has shown Himself faithful in all kinds of ways I didn't expect. So, thanks for the honesty that we so rarely find. Michael,
You've said what I've been feeling for the last several years. I'm dealing with chronic headaches for no real good reason. I went from being a family doctor to a stay-at-home mom (both good careers, but not exactly the career trajectory I had planned). And none of the "Christian" answers really seem to work. Most of the time, my husband and I just trust Jesus and hang on. Would you believe that life is better in many ways than it was before this little saga? OK, except for the near-constant pain. But, God has shown Himself faithful in all kinds of ways I didn't expect. So, thanks for the honesty that we so rarely find.

]]> By: Amy http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96903 Amy Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:39:58 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96903 I can relate so well. I pray because of my relationship to God but I am afraid when I ask for things. I am afraid because of God's soverienty. He could heal (which is what I want), He could not heal, He could make something else come about, (which may be worse)I just don't know. I admit that it scares me and I don't want to trust Him. I have a friend who prayed "Lord reveal yourself to me". Well then things happened in her life that gave her no choice but God, her husband lost his job and her dad died. Why would God decide to reveal Himself in those ways? I wouldn't want to go through all of that. That's the kind of stuff that scares me from making requests of God in prayer. By the way, I don't like to think this way because I think it keeps me from knowing Him better. I can relate so well. I pray because of my relationship to God but I am afraid when I ask for things. I am afraid because of God's soverienty. He could heal (which is what I want), He could not heal, He could make something else come about, (which may be worse)I just don't know. I admit that it scares me and I don't want to trust Him.
I have a friend who prayed "Lord reveal yourself to me". Well then things happened in her life that gave her no choice but God, her husband lost his job and her dad died. Why would God decide to reveal Himself in those ways? I wouldn't want to go through all of that. That's the kind of stuff that scares me from making requests of God in prayer.
By the way, I don't like to think this way because I think it keeps me from knowing Him better.

]]> By: cermak_rd http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96728 cermak_rd Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:46:01 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96728 If you give glory to the Almighty for the good things, you have to blame him for the bad things. That's why I don't ascribe outcomes to the Almighty. I think I'd be more with the Atheists here. They seem to be the most reality based. If you give glory to the Almighty for the good things, you have to blame him for the bad things. That's why I don't ascribe outcomes to the Almighty. I think I'd be more with the Atheists here. They seem to be the most reality based.

]]> By: Internet Monk Radio Podcast #150 | internetmonk.com http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96591 Internet Monk Radio Podcast #150 | internetmonk.com Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:13:43 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96591 [...] Foundation Yellow Mountain Imports (code: InternetMonk) Steve Brown Etc. Guest Room Post: Sometimes, I Don’t Like Any of the Answers Scandalous [...] […] Foundation Yellow Mountain Imports (code: InternetMonk) Steve Brown Etc. Guest Room Post: Sometimes, I Don't Like Any of the Answers Scandalous […]

]]> By: mike http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96528 mike Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:46:26 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96528 .......this article is well articulated....i find myself not often seriously pondering this dilemma out of fear....when i do not understand or cant explain away what happens in the "real world" then my theology seems called into question and that disturbs me because i want to be a "know it all"....i tend to bounce off the wall when something "happens" until i can make my soul comfortable with an off the shelf theological explanation......Wishy-washy ?....Yeah..thats me..... …….this article is well articulated….i find myself not often seriously pondering this dilemma out of fear….when i do not understand or cant explain away what happens in the "real world" then my theology seems called into question and that disturbs me because i want to be a "know it all"….i tend to bounce off the wall when something "happens" until i can make my soul comfortable with an off the shelf theological explanation……Wishy-washy ?….Yeah..thats me…..

]]> By: Jen http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96492 Jen Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:55:40 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96492 I'm not asserting that this is right, but this is how I currently function. I believe that God's will "governs" all. But, in this corrupt world, with our corrupt bodies, stuff goes wrong. Everything bad is a consequence of sin; Yours, mine or someone elses. If God prevented the consequences, He'd be going against his Word, wouldn't he? He told Adam and Eve that they would die. We are mortals. He provided a means of redemption and we await our resurrection. Until then, we have natural disasters and illness and death. Sometimes God heals. Sometimes he lets the temporal consequences occur. Either way, our salvation is coming, and that is what I trust in. Thanks be to God. I'm not asserting that this is right, but this is how I currently function.

I believe that God's will "governs" all. But, in this corrupt world, with our corrupt bodies, stuff goes wrong. Everything bad is a consequence of sin; Yours, mine or someone elses. If God prevented the consequences, He'd be going against his Word, wouldn't he? He told Adam and Eve that they would die. We are mortals. He provided a means of redemption and we await our resurrection. Until then, we have natural disasters and illness and death. Sometimes God heals. Sometimes he lets the temporal consequences occur. Either way, our salvation is coming, and that is what I trust in. Thanks be to God.

]]> By: Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Gospel Texts Turned Bad (+ My SBE Guest Room Post) | internetmonk.com http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96477 Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Gospel Texts Turned Bad (+ My SBE Guest Room Post) | internetmonk.com Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:50:54 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/sometimes-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-any-of-the-answers/#comment-96477 [...] Also, my occasional post at the Steve Brown, Etc guest room is up. It’s called “Sometimes I don’t like any of the answers.” [...] […] Also, my occasional post at the Steve Brown, Etc guest room is up. It's called "Sometimes I don't like any of the answers." […]

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