Do we seek GOD when we are in a fix? Is it just a safety mechanism (hope)?
605502
Good Question!...For Some It Is A Safety Mechanism (Hope)..But For Others It's A Need That Only God Can Fill.
385589
God is now here. if your an optimist.\n\nGod is no where if your a pestimist.\n\nI am an optimist for sure!!!
233491
It could be at any moment. So put your fighting gear on because right now we are still in battle with evil. Get close to God. Ask Him to forgive your sins, and ask him into your life and your heart. If you do this, you will see the miracles God does, and you won't have to worry about the time getting closer. You will be waiting happily for that time to come.
175131
one cant, at least THIS one cant.  When something terrible happens and you question gods "wisdom" a religious person will most often come back with god has a plan we just don't know what it is.  Well my point is if there is a god and this god is omnipotent then this god allows all of this terrible stuff to happen.  Now if this god has a plan that lets these things happen FOR WHATEVER REASON then it is not something I would want in my life.  If a person stands idly by and lets pain and suffering befall his fellow man when it is in his/her ability to stop the suffering then they are as much at fault as whatever is causing the suffering.  If a "god" dose the same thing, well its just a perverse sort of thing to put your faith in.
243745
I believe it will end in disaster.  However, it will not be for the worst that this occurs.  It will be the means by which God will restore and make all things new.  Much like the process of salvation: someone has to realize their destitute state before they seek salvation.
1010158
Sometimes we are so focused on waiting for our ship to come in, that we ignore the bus and the taxi that were sent for us.\n\nLook around you, see all the trees in the forest, start walking down the entire path, enjoy all of it.\n\nThis question is in the religion section, so I am going to tell you to first get saved.  If you believe you have, then get to church and rededicate your live to Christ, live for him and not yourself, lay your human burdons at his feet, and when you get up, do NOT take those burdons back with you.  If you find that you did take some of them back with you, go right back and put them back at  his feet.\n\nYou will be doing this the rest of your life, but everytime we leave a bit more of our worries at his feet, we can walk closer to GOD with more and more of the weight lifted off from us.
736165
Tragic times seem to be the times when we most recognize our need for God--as well as the times when His tender mercies are most evident to us--because He always meets us right at the point of our need.  These also seem to be the times when it is easiest for us to reach out to Him.  Maybe our defenses are down, maybe we're in too much pain to worry about surrendering to Him, maybe we have a clearer picture of our own mortality than we ever have before, or maybe our experience of His love is just so overwhelming that we can hardly resist.  Whatever the reason, He is "the God of all comfort" and His love, mercy, and grace are sufficient for all our needs!
1103920
Yes. It's happened.  I was not a Christian at the time, so I thought for a long time that I was sought by the Devil.  Now that I read/listent to scripture, I understand all humanity is sought by the devil.  Cast all fear and worry unto Him.  God is your strength and refuge.  SPEAK out loud the name of Jesus the Christ, and remember that scripture tells us the God leads us with his left hand and holds us with his right hand.  Did you know that God loves you ALL the time? Even when we're not being as Christ-like as we should?  Cling to Him.  It will go away.  You are a co-inheritor of Heaven with Jesus.  That means YOU have the power to banish the demons that dwell here, YOU can heal the sick.  Walk in faith, my sister!  Because whether or not people believe in Christ, we will all have to stand in judgement in front of God someday.  Our time on this earth is limited, so... when you become a light in this realm, of course you will attract the attention of Satan.  Keep your armor up, and discipline yourself to thoughts of God.  God does not promise this will be easy, He just promises to be with us, and if we ASK (out loud), He will be there too, fighting for us.
80907
If God didnt ever show His goodness to us we would never know to seek Him. Sometimes what brings someone to salvation is Gods good work to someone who completely doesnt deserve it. In fact thats always what it is. None of us are righteous and all who have salvation were shown the goodness of Him. Think about the drug addict who gets a secound chance, or the attempted suicidal person who finds new hope... They didnt deserve a life but God can do miracles.\n\nOn the other hand how can God let bad things happen to good people? First of all none of us deserve any better than hell for it is His divine mercy and grace that rescues. And secoundly trials make us stronger and prepare us for His kingdom.
482293
Speaking for myself. I find hope through rational thinking, if there is a situation in which rational thinking can not resolve I find something to keep me occupied.\n\nBTW people, hope is not an exclusive right to Christians, it has existed many thousands of years before your religion was even conceived of.. I am quite disappointed in your inability to understand this.
737092
God has a plan for you and He will do things in His time.\nJust have faith in Him and everything will be alright.
439500
yes God exists for me... in times of need i asked Him lots of favors and He grants it... sometimes He doesn't because it was my fault as well i acknowledge... try... when you are in need pray and just wait for it to be answered... you cand ask him to talk to him directly....
270842
God answers prayers. He loves his creation, and cares for them so much. We can pray for help with a certain problem, and he may answer our prayer...but what if it seems our prayer doesn't get answered?\n\nWe have to be open to the thought that God might answer our prayer in a different way than we thought.\n\nPaul dealt with a 'thorn in the flesh' his whole life. He prayed to have it removed, but that never happened. God DID help Paul to deal with his problem. God has perfect wisdom, so he knows best when it comes to our problems. Sometimes, our problems may not go away, and we have to endure through them. But as you will see if you look up the scriptures below, the right attitude can help us deal with whatever trials we may have to deal with while we patiently wait on God.\nRomans 5:3-5\nJames 1:2-4\nHebrews 12:11\n*1 Corinthians 10:13
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Well, there are many different ideas on prayer and how it works. It is true, though, if everything is predetermined, then there is no point to prayer (at least prayer to change things). \n\nHowever, it would seem from the Bible that we are to pray to change things. Specifically, I think about Jesus  talking to his disciples about prayer and telling them about the women who stands outside the judges house and begs for his intervention and is eventually persuaded to act. And when Jesus teaches the disciples to pray he says "... give us today our daily bread...," a specific request. Additionally, we are told that God delights to give us the desires of our hearts, and uses the example of a parent delighting in giving a good gift to their child. \n\nThe problem of prayer is only one of many many problems with the theology of predestination. Here is a link to an essay on Open Theology. It is a biblical based theology that says perhaps God does not even know exactly what will happen in the future, no less has it all planned out. http://www.franciscan-anglican.com/Foreknowledge.htm\n\nGood luck to you in you theological struggles. Wisdom, grace, and peace to you!\n\nAddendum for your addition:\nYou seem to ask the question about God's plan through the lens of predestination. A plan is just that; a plan. If I say that I have a plan for my vacation, I am expressing to you my hope or perhaps intention. I think that this is closer to what God has for us. However, I think that we are also active participants in that plan. If God wanted little robots then God would not have created free will at all. Additionally, how specific is this plan? I think that God has a plan that all of us would be fulfilled and spiritually mature. But that doesn't say anything about whether I should be a doctor or farmer or move here or date this person. I could fulfill God's plan for my life on any of those paths.\n\nBut there is also this implicit idea that your will and God's will are likely to be in conflict or at least incongruent. However, if God has created you and knows you and your interests, experiences, etc., it seems most likely that God's plan and your true desires would naturally fall into line. If you want your best and God wants your best then your desires are God's desires. Jesus said "My yoke is light and burden easy." Relax. All will be well.. :) Peace
207903
Sorry this is so long fuzzy dice but hopefully it answers your question!\n\nWhile we can grow spiritually through suffering (Heb. 12:6), we sometimes encounter afflictions that seem cruel and useless. Who benefits when a grotesquely deformed baby is born? What good can come from severe retardation? What purpose can be served by an aged person going on month after month in an almost vegetative state? Why does the stroke victim who cannot speak or use his limbs have to lie in a nursing home year after year? And what about the victims of accidents or disasters? We must admit that sometimes we can see no reason or purpose in some of the suffering we encounter. But that doesn't mean there is no divine reason or purpose. We just don't see it. Jesus said that a man was born blind, not because of sin on the part of anyone, but "that the works of God should be revealed in him" (Jn. 9:3). Then He went on to heal him supernaturally. Until that moment, no one knew why the man was born blind. But God did. Therefore, we must often rest in the assurance that God knows the answer to the question "Why?" Then too, these disturbing realities are a call to repentance. They remind us that this life is only a tiny segment of the whole picture. Jesus pointed out that the 18 people who were killed when a tower fell on them were not singled out for this accident because they were worse than average sinners. But He went on to say, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Lk. 13:5). Whenever we encounter diseases, deformities, disasters, or accident victims, we are to remember that we are no better than they. This is therefore a call to repentance for all of us. \nSomething else that can help us when we come face-to-face with these disturbing facts of life is the realization that (1) God did not necessarily cause these circumstances, and that (2) God suffers with the hurting. The world as we know it today is under the curse God pronounced at the dawn of human history (Gen. 3:17-19). Paul personified the non-human created world, animate and inanimate, as waiting eagerly for the day when Christ returns, because it will then be delivered from the frustration and pain it endures because of the presence of evil (Rom. 8:18-25).
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Everything that is , has been or will be , is in his perfect will. We can not understand God's perfect will as long as our knwoledge is veiled. For God works even that which is evil for good to those that diligently seek him and abide by his precepts. If your search is to find flaw and imperfection you will arrive soon, if your search is for is glory, both you and I have a long way to get there and we will certainly not accomplish it until that which is perfect returns.
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hi! heres what i think and what the bible says about your situation:\n\nromans 5:3 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.\n\nGOD doesnt say that once you are a believer, all your problems will be solved. but he assures us that the trials that we go through will help develop our character and molds us to be better christians.\n\n1 peter 4:12-13,16 12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. \n16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. \n\nTHIS just assures us all the more that as christians we will not be freed from problems. and Jesus even encourages us to rejoice when we experience these things in life.\n\n1 Corinthians 10:13 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.\n\nTHIS does not only pertain to temptations but also problems and anything in life. it says that God will not give us anything that we cannot carry. but when he knows we cannot do it alone anymore, he will still help us out.\n\nGOD hears your prayers, he hears all our prayers. as ive mentioned, being a child of God doesnt exempt us from having problems. i think the question now is if you trust the Lord that he hears you. the way i see it, maybe the Lord allows these things to make your faith in him stronger and be more trusting in his power over your life. maybe when you pray you just pray without trusting. so maybe you should also evaluate yourself when you pray and speak to God. reading the bible is also important in knowing Gods will for you and how he wants to work in your life.\n\ni hope all this helps you :)