If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a million times:
God has a wonderful plan for your life.
Tell this to a grieving mother standing beside a gaping grave dug for her child. Tell it to a man who can’t keep the voices away, who longs to be normal but can’t will his mind to function properly. Tell it to a woman who was raped. Tell it to a child while he is being cut into pieces and suctioned from his mother’s womb.
I understand the sentiment behind what we are saying when we use this phrase. But, my friends, look around you. A great many people live lives full of sorrow, tragedy, horror, pain, and abuse.
Where is God in all this? the seeker will ask. What does God have to do with the pain and the sorrow in this world?
Why, everything.
He sees, He cares, He knows, and, yes, His will reigns supreme. This world is broken. We are broken people. God told us this would be so. He never promised a wonderful life. In fact, He promised hardship. Jesus said the poor will be blessed. But, He didn’t say He would end poverty. He said those who mourn will be comforted. But, He never promised that mourning wouldn’t be part of our lives.
Life is hard, even when you’re a Christian. Even when you try to love God with all your heart, bad things will happen. Terrible things will come. And, this is the danger in telling each other God has a wonderful plan for your life. Because there are just too many moments and hours and days and weeks that don’t feel like a wonderful plan. They feel like an awful plan. They feel like a devastating plan. And, in those moments, the wonderful life idea just rings hollow. It makes us mad at God. It makes us resent Him and it leads us to believe that He was lying when He said, I have a wonderful plan for your life.
Only He never said that. We have confused something well-meaning Christians have repeated millions of times with something that God actually promised. Yes, someone has been lying to you, but it’s not God.
Here’s the truth of the matter: If you are a Christian, God has a wonderful plan for your eternity. Jesus promised that He is getting some pretty amazing (dare I say wonderful) stuff ready for you in Heaven. And, He is coming back to Earth to do a whole new wonderful thing someday.
God has a plan for your life on earth, too. But, it’s not for a 100% wonderful existence. That was the garden of Eden. Times have changed. Our lives on earth will be trying, difficult, sometimes tragic, sometimes almost unbearable, often sprinkled with lots of great times, truly amazing and awe-inspiring experiences, and love. And all of these things, good and bad, bring glory to God, can help us know Him more, can bring us to our knees, can take us sailing to heights we’ve never known before. The human existence is a roller coaster of fear, doubt, happiness, pain, fun, beauty, anger, grace, mercy, anguish, and brokenness. God gives wonderful moments. But, this life isn’t always wonderful.
Learn to be okay with that. Learn that God does what He does for reasons you can’t always see or understand. Learn to believe that God is good, even when the un-wonderful of life creeps in.
This life is only one stitch in the infinite and intricate fabric of eternity. There is so much wonderful waiting for us in that forever. Until then, God loves you, and He has a plan for your life. Whatever it is, don’t lose faith when wonderful seems miles away. Even when the circumstances of life aren’t wonderful, our God still is.
Thanks for the reminder….God is still good!
all the time and in every way.
So why should I stick around if there is no plan here and all is falling apart?? I am so sad and lonely one child died another missing for 3 years.
Sharon, there is always a plan. God is firmly in control and He is working all things for the good of those who love Him. I am so sorry for your terrible losses. Please know that there is help available for you if you are feeling a real sense of despair. Call 1-800-273-8255 and talk to someone. Praying for you right now!
Thank you so very much. This blog “God may not have a wonderful plan for your life”, was so enlightening. I am a wife, 55 years of age. I lost my job 8 months ago due to “restructuring” in the company. I was there 14 years. I was recently diagnosed with RSD of the right foot. This is a progressive nerve disease. I read your blog and smiled. You answered all of my questions as to “why”. “Why me”, “why now”??.
Thank you Lord for your perfect plan for my life.
I don’t know who told you that life would be a joy ride! It certainly wasn’t Jesus. He said “You WILL have trouble(s) in this world. BUT, I have overcome the world”! We need to trust Him and He will help us perevere THROUGH the hard times-if we don’t have a piity party and just give up(on ourselves(or God)!
Gee Kev bet you’re a real comfort in times of trouble. Pity party, you must be a hyper Calvinist. Dont trouble me eith your troubles, right Kev?
There’s a major problem with this article, and that problem is what the Bible has to say about the article’s title and assertion: “God never promised us a wonderful life.”
Actually, he DID. Look at John 10:10: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty wonderful to me.
What about Jeremiah 29:11? “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'” This promise sounds pretty awesome too.
Let’s keep looking.
“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5).
That’s me!!! And that’s you as a child of God! I am a son of God. I am a world overcomer. I may live in a “broken” world, but I am not broken, so don’t call me that!
And to the argument that might say we have to wait until we get to Heaven to be an overcomer, my question to you is, “What exactly are we going to need to overcome when we get to heaven?”
The Bible doesn’t say we won’t have problems in this life. In fact, Jesus said in John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
So… if God doesn’t have a wonderful plan for our lives, does he have an evil plan? A horrible plan? A so-so or an OK plan? Does that ring true to you when phrased like that?
I’ve had troubles in my life — less than some but more than others — but my troubles have not been a result of God’s plan for my life. They’ve been a result of my own stupid choices, the stupid choices of others, and the really bad plan Satan (the thief) has for my life.
No matter what I feel, I know that God has a full, abundant, overcoming life planned for me. I refuse to believe my own or other’s opinions or experiences above the Word of God.
Well said Mr. Stuart. The bottom line in all of this, in my opinion, is like looking at a 12oz glass filled with 6oz of water. Is the glass half empty of half full. Faith, outlook, attitude and determination. Ultimately, do we wake everyday a thankful heart and gratefulness for the new day, or do we begin our day with extreme dread? A Christian can choose one or the other. And I think you have adequately answered the question raised in this blog.
Amen!!! If you believe you shall receive. It’s in the Bible he has made us promises. Everyone goes through difficult times its in the difficult times we draw near to Him and He does not let those who seek Him down. To those who are in doubt. Seek Him with all your heart.
IMO, all those verses do not specifically refer to life on earth. They could refer to eternal life. Christ overcame the world and sin binding us to eternal death and so death here that allows us to enter eternal life. We have glimpses of heaven and God’s might on earth, but the abundance can only be experienced after death or Christ’s coming. God gives us his strength to have full lives here despite our tribulations.
I think the mentality she is trying to debate against is that of wonderful, abundant life meaning a successful (in the world’s eyes), easy, simple life with no trials, sickness, poverty, murder, torture, rape, incest, holocaust, war, miscarriage, divorce, suicide etc. This all happens to the most faithful child of God. It may never stop. But God gives us the Holy Spirit to give us hope and allow us to continue and not despair.
There are thorns in the flesh many of us will never overcome till heaven. My grandmother’s Alzheimer’s, my bipolar that needs to be controlled with meds, my father’s heart condition that took him from us suddenly. I have a full life here, but there is much that will be overcome in completeness only in heaven.
My miscarried child can only hope for abundant life in heaven. I suppose they may not be ‘born again’ or born ever but they were souls and I believe God had a plan for them, same as for me.
Its disappointing that the good things are not in this lifetime.
Either all the Bible is true….. Or none of it is. Why could I believe any other simple straightforward piece of the Word if I discount the Jeremiah scripture?
The Jeremiah scripture was written for a specific group of people, the nation of Israel, during a specific time, following their exile. This promise was already fulfilled, when the nation of Israel returned from exile and was restored for a time. This verse is not for each and every person to claim as a promise specifically to us and for us.
I agree with Josh Stewart and not this article that says it’s not in the Bible that God may not have a wonderful plan for your life. Josh just gave scriptures that say He does! Jeremiah 29:11 & John 10:10! Yay!!! 🙂
amen!!!
My son died. At the age of 26 as a result of an accident. AFTER serving his country and being deployed in Iraq for 15 straight months. I don’t think that’s any sort of good planning by God, and I doubt the troubles you have had involve losing your child since you said “less than some but more than others.” People who lose their child don’t say that. So….I prefer to look at it as the article is written. It’s very well presented.
I, too, lost a child. She was 3 at that horrible moment. I hated when people tried to make me feel better by saying it was part of God’s plan. I hate when people say that “this life is supposed to be wonderful as God said it would”. If anything, Jesus said the opposite. He warned us of our persecution, pain, and suffering… all just for being believers in Him. Even though I lost my daughter, and even though SO many other things have occurred in this life on Earth, I take the Bible at face value, and I believe in God’s promise for a beautiful eternity with Him in Heaven. Melissa had it right to say God isn’t the one who lied, because He wouldn’t do that and because I know humans have things a little backwards. We like to read words and analyze them as if we have that power. The joke’s on us! Blessings to your family, and I do hope that your son’s life is honored for his duty overseas and for his country, and that you are able to cope with his passing knowing that he is with our Heavenly Father, free from this sick and twisted world we are to roam until the Lord calls us home!
Dear Josh,
To not include every thing in the Bible from the front to the back on any subject is wrong. As far as horror goes, imagine having more than two items which are so hard to handle for most people that they commit suicide at a higher rate than anyone else. Imagine being a civilian combat veteran for more than 45 years. Imagine being abandoned freqently. Imagine being taken advantage of to the point of slavery for 26 years. Imagine more, for that is my life.
If your life is wonderful, finding scipture to support your view is not research, it is just plain wrong. Researching is knowing all there is to know about a subject, and which of it is wrong. Do I know the Bible essentially from front to back and is that the way I do it. YES. Yet I only know the subjects I know, and not ever all that God knows.
I am happy that God chose and easy life for you. In James he said, the strong are given poverty. He put me into very difficult situations always, and left me there for years and years and years. Sure later I understood why, but it is not the reasons you state. It is not to increase my wealth, my health, my friends, my status in this world. It is only for the next world, and that has been revealed to me for some reason or another.
Yes, I was surprised by this, then I found out everyone who has an exceedingly painful and difficult life, has God in it, Personally is some way or another. I am not at all unique in that.
The life you have is the life you have. It is neither known whether it is better or worse than someone else’s life in God’s eyes. But, make no further mistakes, do you own work on all the passages of which you picked and chose only certain ones, then find out pain can be a gift from God.
You clearly typed the words I was thinking also, when reading this piece. This article comes from feelings from the flesh and not from the Spirit that brings truth and life. True, we all go through a spectrum of terrible things living on this planet. I thank God for sending his Son Jesus as our Savior; Savior from what…. not just our sin but a plethora of things that we need help getting out of and freed from. Jesus is where all our hope lies in the here and now and in the afterlife. We have an inheritance and access to all his promises in the abundant life he said we could have, if we believe and have faith. He makes beauty from ashes! We have to cooperate with God for this to happen, not all people want to do that and they get what they create oppose to what God in His marvelous plan will create, if they would let Him. Romans 8:28, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. If we would die more and let Christ live through us, we would be more than conquerors and have more victory, but people choose to live in the old man more than they do the new man. It is a lifelong battle that takes a daily surrendering of one’s self…it is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me. What ever life throws my way, whether self inflicted, or undeserving, Christ will help me and make a way, if I cooperate with Him and stay out of the way. He will always bring healing to all areas of our life, if we ask, believe, stand in faith and expect great things from our all loving and powerful God!
The problem here I think is the view of ‘wonderful plan. God had a ‘wonderful plan for Jesus. It invioved him being persecuted and rejected and ultimately martyred for us in a very cruel way. The point is that the plan was wonderful for God and humanity as a whole. If we believe that God has a ‘wonderful plan for us to do things for Him and others, we are on the sure rock of scripture. If we believe that God has a ‘womderfiul plan’ to make us personally comfortable (a secular western obsession) in the sense of an array of material posssessions, permanent excellent health and an altogether cosy western lifestyle with only minor problems or no problems, then we are on the shifting sands of those flash suited ‘Prosperity Gospel’ preachers. Those who really do ‘carry their cross’ and are persecued for their Christian faith usually pray not for the end of persecution but for the strength from the Holy Spirit to see it through. We can so easily fall into the trap of believeing that our cosy western lifestyle is really the Christian idyll. Scripture states otherwise.
Yes! My thoughts, too! Even in the valley of the shadow of death, God is WITH us, and that’s enough to make it wonderful!
I suspect that you did not decide on your own that God has a wonderful plan for us. Rather, you were told this by your parents and clergy. Observation and experience do not substantiate a wonderful plan. Challenge authority and try to reason for yourself based on evidence.
If you believe that God may not have a wonderful life for you, you will not have a wonderful life or abundance. If you believe, he does, you will see and have abundance, you will be blessed, you will overcome, you will have strength, courage, you name it just as he promised in the bible. Stewart has mentionned a few verses from the Bible. Pesonally, I have met people and have friends who have lost theirs, who have been raped, who have seen atrocities that you and I could not even imagine. When you see them talk about their experiences and how they have manged to move forward and turn and trust God, then you realise how powerful God is. As for me I wonder how Iwould feel or what Iwould do if it was me. But each person has his/her own problem and no matter how big or small we always tend to feel or thing we have the biggest problem until you see someone who is having it worse than you. Life tribulations are sometime hear to shape us, to mold us, to make us better people, to transform us, to make us stronger, that’s why it’s sometimes part of God’s big plan although it may seem very hard to see or accept (FAITH). A they say, “the finest steel has to go through the hottest fire”
Matthew 7, Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8″For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.…
We can here. I have so far so good. And I pray for me and for all of us that we grow in faith each and everyday that God bleeses us with.
So my dear friends and all who are reading this, may nothing stop you or make you believe otherwise no matter what happens even when it’s difficult, do you best all the time and remember God is in control, he lives within you and you are the temple.
Thank you for the blog as it’s another way of making people connnect or share their thoughs.
Stay bleesed in the name of Jesus my friends
Awesome post! My mom wants a copy and I think I’ll share it with my women at the jail on Christmas. Many thanks.
I think this article is great and i love all the other comments and replys.. in his word it tells us some things we will not understand and some things just can not be understood. They are not meant, they were not created to be understood.. it is God we are talking about.. he made our brains our hearts.. thats how I know.. Beliveing.. we have to believe and know that he is there… explain love, explain the plain fact that we are able to go to the bathroom, the birth of a child..these things are not man made this is God.. this is all his doing.. he is real and he is alive and well on this earth.. May God bless all of you. Ecclesiates is good to read in the bible. it helps.
Happy Birthday Jesus.
First, let me say I don’t debate scripture. I have learned that we are all in a different place in our relationship with God. Sometimes it is because we hold on to our own beliefs and teachings so strongly that we don’t allow room for the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and sometimes it is because we have been through some hard lessons and now see things from a different prospective. We can decide to be bitter or become better – it is our decision.
My prayer is you will receive this with the same spirit with which it is shared, a spirit of love. Please, understand I am only sharing the knowledge I have obtained from MY dependence on God during MY life experiences and sufferings. This, in no way, downplays your experiences or your obtained knowledge of God.
Revelation 12:11 (NLT)
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
AND BY THEIR TESTIMONY (emphasis mine).
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die.
I won’t go into the gory details of what has lead me to know what I now understand (a little better) about God and this topic. I don’t want to focus on the hardships I have endured but rather on the resulted softening of my heart and soul.
Below are some lessons I have learned as I have traveled along the “Hard Road”.
I have learned that we so often have a different definition of ‘the purpose for life’ than what is really ‘THE purpose for life’. We are here to glorify God (period). We glorify God through obedience and by a relationship with Him.
I have learned we tend to think (or at least act as if we think) we are here to live a comfortable life and we need everything WE THINK we need to make life comfortable. I have learned this is a very shallow existence.
I have learned we want to be comfortable at all times; having enough food, clothing, shelter, money in the bank, so we don’t have to worry about tomorrow. I have learned this is only trusting in yourself and your own abilities and not relying on God’s goodness and provisions for your life.
I have learned we tend to think (or at least act as if we think) the only good or wonderful life is that one which has no trouble or pain. But, it is through the troubles in life, through the pain of life, through the tragedy of life that I have come to see God more clearly and have felt Him hold me up when I could not stand on my own. The days I didn’t know if I could continue another minute, much less live another hour or another day, is when God showed me He loves me more than I ever imagined and that He hurts when I am brokenhearted.
It is through the horrible experiences of my life, which I never would have asked for, that I have became blessed the most. I am not the same person I was before I walked down these ‘Rocky and Hard Roads’. I am now someone who can sympathize with another who is on the same stretch of ‘Road’ I have walked. I can now reach out to someone who is hurting from the same devastation and loss that I have experienced. I can offer comfort to the hurting heart and food (spiritual) for the one who is starving for nourishment.
I have learned that the things I thought were so horrible at the time I was walking through them were not such bad things after all. Standing here and looking back I now see my heart was not where it should have been. I was clinging to tightly to another person who later disappointed me – lesson learned, only God is trustworthy. No person, none, not even one is put on this earth to satisfy our life – only God can satisfy and fill that empty void.
As parents we try to teach / lead our children but it all comes down to they are people placed on this earth to glorify God too. They have the same decision to make, to live in obedience and have a relationship with God – lesson learned, their decision is for them to make – it is not about me (or you) as a parent. It is not about what I or you did wrong or what we need to do right, it is between each child and God.
I have learned, everything I have and everything I am is by God’s grace and God’s provision – I am nothing without Him.
God is good. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He never wants to hurt you. Seek Him and you will find goodness in the pain.
God loves you. I love you, too.
I loved all that you had to say here, but the part about parenting really struck a cord with me. It would take pages to explain why and how the timing is, of course, perfect, but thank you for sharing your personal life lessons.
Jody, I am glad it helped you. I had read over what I had written several times before finally posting. I had felt that part just did not “fit” with what I was trying to convey. But, I kept hearing, “keep it”. God is good! He loves us and He will use us in ways we can’t imagine if we will be obedient. Hang in there. God is who said those words to me during one of my difficult times. He also gave me a scripture promise that I held onto until it came true. (Isaiah 43:5-7) Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west. I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’”
Well-said. Amen!
Donna, I help manage a blog called From the Journey, the Crowned with Beauty blog. Our team writes about our faith experiences and we also feature guest contributors. I would really love to ask you about posting what you have written above on our blog, with your credits, of course. Our blog site is http://www.facebook.com/FromTheJourneyCWB if you would link to read it!
Joni, I am humbled you would want to share my thoughts. Yes, of course, if you feel these words might help someone else, please, share them. I would be honored to give God the glory!
Thanks, Donna! I would love to connect with you for details. My email address is joni@crownedwithbeauty.org, if you want to send me a brief message so we can connect. Thank you!
Donna, I would like to have permission to copy your comments. Thank you! Anita
When you can’t decode what God’s plan is for you, when his actions are cruel instead of merciful and loving,, when your prayers go unanswered, why don’t you use the same common sense you did as a child when you realized that reindeer can’t fly and bunnies don’t hide colored eggs?
I dont believe a single word of what you said. People speak about belief as if it is a choice….what a horrible lie! I did not choose to be a pathetic loser! I dream of what it would be like to be part of a noble plan…but i’m a worthless nothing. The truth is that we are slaves to our own ignorance. If god chooses to NOT give someone the gift of faith it is because he hates that person. He hates that person down to the molecule. He hates me. He loves you and hates me. Go figure!
Not sure that I am with this article. It has a kernal of truth but it is a false assumption that life on earth is out of God’s plan. God has a plan through the storms no matter how awful. “I will never leave you or forsake you,” Hebrews 13:5 is the plan.
He did not promise sunshine without rain He did not promise life with out toil but hedi promise strength for the day life everlasting and undying love
In the same light, we also have not been promised that God won’t “give us more than we can handle.” 🙂
Although I believe her intentions are well, I think the writer of this article is confusing happiness with joy. Happiness is fleeting and measured against the world’s standards (i.e. prepare to be disappointed). However, joy is one of the fruits (a visible attribute) that your life will produce if (this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list) you are in the Word, if you allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in your heart, and if you are fulfilling the Great Commission.
It literally breaks my heart that people actually believe that God’s plan for them on earth is anything short of spectacular. No there is not a verse that I can think of that specifically states God has a wonderful plan for you, but if you ever doubt that his earthly plan for you is anything but wonderful try reflecting on these verses.
Jer. 29:11 HIs plans are for your welfare, future and hope
Romans 8:37 We are more than conquerors
Romans 8:28 All things work together for your good
Isaiah 58:11 He will satisfy our desires in scorched places/make our bones strong
Prov 16:9 He orders our steps
1 Cor. 2:9 We can not imagine what god has in store for us
Psalms 37:23, Eph 1:21; Psalms 91:1-16 John 15:7; Prob 23:18
We serve an AMAZING God who has great things in store for us now and in eternity. Never forget, even when things look so grim that there can never be a light again, know that Papa loves you and he has nothing but good wonderful things in store for you,
You realize all those verses are either direct promises to Isreal, not Christians….
Or they are promises of life in heaven… not on earth.
If you are going to attempt to debate, please please at least research and learn…we have enough people out there who just blindly follow along because they have never bothered to study. We don’t need any more
In light of Romans 8:28 He does have a wonderful plan for those who put their trust in Him. He causes all things to work together for good, the good and the “bad”.
I rarely comment on blog articles but I have to to this one….Melissa, your post is excellent!!!!
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
Can I repeat the rightly dividing the word of truth part again?!!! The
Entire bible was written for us but not TO us. Many of the comments all of you have made have used verses from the Old Testament. They lived under the law ….if a man obeyed under the law, God blessed their life. Do we follow every Levitical law? Are we Israel?
We are Gentiles saved by grace through faith in what Christ did for us. And we are told throughout Paul’s epistles, Paul being the apostle to the Gentiles (eph 3:1) we are going to suffer.
Our “wonderful life” is on the other side of this life, eternity. Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us”.
Right division of the Bible is essential to understanding it and realizing that we are going to suffer.
I completely agree. God’s wonderful plan for us if we choose to follow it, is ‘wonderful’ for God and His Kingdom but we must not confuse that with a nice safe and cosy western material lifestyle for us personally. Almost all the apostles were martyred traditionally as well as many who came.in the first few centuries later. Many Christians now presently live in the same peril. Those living in countries where they are persecuted for their Christian faith (see (very long) list compiled by ‘Open Doors’) would not dream that God was going to provide a nice comfortable life for them as we would understand it in western cultural terms. They live as comfortably as Jews did in Nazi Germany whom we might remember were the physical descendants of those to whom Jeremiah actually spoke his words. His words were not a guarantee of personal material comfort for all believers, Jews and Gentiles, from then on through human history. They were a promise specifically for Jews in the (then) future. In case anyone is confused by the use of one verse (11) out of context, the passage in full reads:
10 This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’
That could not be more specific and to lift verse 11 out of its context and (mis)apply it generaily to all Christians is extremely poor exegesis.
The promises of God are for all of His people when they have to do with who He is, His character and His faithfulness. Truly He says to us, when you seek Me with all your heart, I will be found by you, and will bring you back from captivity. Literal captivity or the captivity of sin, brokenness, despair, disappointments, hurt…God is faithful to bring us back in accordance with His plan. So much of what He said to Israel is applicable in our lives. Please do not disregard the entirety of the Old Testament’s beauty because it was written to His specific people in a specific time. “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” Hebrews 4:12. Many have been the moments of conviction in my life that God has brought through Isaiah, Jeremiah, Proverbs, Psalms; the moments of insight through Judges, Ruth, Esther and 1 Samuel; the moments of hope through Genesis, 2 Chronicles, Daniel and Joel; the peace bestowed throughout His word as He pursues His people with holy fervor. Paul said to the New Testament believers in 2 Tim 3:-6, “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful…” Please embrace with passion the whole word of God given for us. What a gift to us believers!
Yes. I agree! Crazy thing is, the Israelites suffered lots, too. And the heroes of the faith were all sinners like us. God’s people still had babies die, marriages fail, brother killed brother, wars still were fought, people starved, drunkenness was sin, illness and pain were very real to people from Genesis straight through to Revelation. So to all those people who want to stand around claiming promises not for them, how will they explain “when bad things happen to good people”…to them?
Thank you for the “rightly dividing the word of truth” truth here. If people don’t know that there is even “such a thing”, they’re not going to understand. Paul’s epistles to the churches in the age of grace, which we are a part of, clear up all issues that people are arguing about. I don’t have time to write my lengthy reply (it’s almost 2:3AM!), but I’m so glad you did!
You only get to experience the glory of eternity if you believe it exists. I spent my whole life being told that i’m stupid. Now that i have failed at everything it would appear that they were all correct. God will absolutely abandon the lost. He is more than happy to leave us to rot until nothing remains but an empty broken shell. Sometimes he just snipes the sheep. Billions of people will experience nothing but hell in this life and something even worse afterwards. On random occasions he might decide to save someone. I try not to think about whenever possible…life is truly hopeless.
This is out of line with his character and who he is essentially. I used to feel this way Joe, deep down it isn’t true about Yashua and you know this too. Demons take advantage of problems and will out the blame on God. Silence the voices of lies and focus on truth. Do some war when you pray. I know it’s not easy, but I believe we are almost done here on earth to be honest.
I just wrote about this too. We are humans living a human experience. http://www.godlymomma.com/1/post/2013/12/its-ok-to-not-be-ok.html. But when its not wonderful. If we just be still, because thats all that’s left to do but look up. That’s when he brings comfort and peace. He is the only refuge and strength in the darkest of any moment.
I think a lot of Christians do a disservice not only to non-Christians, but to other Christians and themselves by preaching that everything will be wonderful once you become a Christian (according to God’s plan). They will quote selected scriptures and set out to make you feel inferior to their knowledge of the word of God. They avoid scriptures that mention bad things and only share the promises of things to come. It reminds me of the song:
“But these rose colored glasses,
that I’m looking through,
Show only the beauty,
cause they hide all the truth …”
Petra also had a song back in the 80’s dealing with the same subject:
“Another sleepy Sunday, safe within the walls
Outside a dying world in desperation calls
But no one hears the cries or knows what they’re about
The doors are locked within or is it from without
Looking through rose colored stained glass windows
Never allowing the world to come in
Seeing no evil and feeling no pain
Making the light as it comes from within, so dim, so dim…”
Sadly, I think this is how the majority of the modern Christian church functions…”let’s not talk about the bad stuff, only the good!” We use Christian-ese to speak with one another, telling each other to “have a blessed day!” But that simply is not reality!
Sure, God may have plans for all of us, but in order to get there we may have to suffer a lot of pain and suffering…sometime life simply sucks!
Our hope is in God, but we shouldn’t deceive others to believe everything is “roses” once you believe in Him. I am sure the apostles are enjoying eternal life now, but remember most of those same apostles were crucified, beheaded, hung, and/or disemboweled before getting there.
Very well said. I have experienced tremendous loss in my life. I hang on to Rev 21:4.
John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance.” Yes heaven will be amazing and I am thankful for the promise of eternal life because and only because of Jesus Christ but Jesus desires that we would experience abundant life here and now … and we can! To have life in abundance means that it would be full, overflowing, rich (these are synonyms for abundant). I feel like you could also add the word wonderful to this list b/c let’s face it…abundant life sounds pretty wonderful. Yes, according to scripture we know that Jesus did not imply that life would be easy. It will be hard, we will go through painful things but that doesn’t mean that life won’t be./can’t be abundant and wonderful. Jesus came to bring abundant life. Yes, I have walked through hard things as I have followed Christ and I will continue to walk through hard things but those hard things don’t negate the truth that God still desires that we would experience the abundant life here on earth. The Apostle Paul walked through harder things then most of us will ever experience and yet I am sure he would still say that God’s plan for him is wonderful because he understood something beautiful …. He understood that even when life is hard, painful, Even when he is getting beaten and thrown in prison, he knew that He has been forgiven, redeemed, justified, he knew he is no longer an enemy of God, he knew that he has the Spirit of God living inside of him and so many amazing biblical truths. God’s plan for us is wonderful, we just can’t think of what the world ‘wonderful’ means according to our definition (ie: that we will be financially blessed, we will not encounter hard things, we will find that perfect husband/wife and be able to have children, etc) but by the definitions of scripture which I believe Paul understood
I don’t believe that the choices we make are ALL left up to God. A loving Heavenly Father would let us make most, if not all of the choices. On the other side, our soul doesn’t look at life challenges the same way we do here in mortality. We choose how we want to best come here to learn and grow. Then as a loving Heavenly Father, he says are you sure? You really want to do that? We say, yes, yes, because we would see how much growth potential it would provide for us. So, our loving HF would then say, OK, I will help you through it and will send loving heavenly angels (our ancestors), the Holy Spirit and our brother, Saviour and friend, Jesus to be w. us. I’ve learned this from my own experience of my daughter’s passing. She passed ~20 yrs ago. Took over 5 yrs to figure that out. What’s the other alternative?? Be mad at God. No thanks!!
The Lord said that to be His disciple, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross, and follow Him. In this life we shall have tribulation. But He has overcome the world. Through much tribulation, we have to enter the kingdom of God. Then again, all things good and bad work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. His sovereign will for our lives are good , acceptable and perfect. He is wise and kind and gracious, and compassionate. He makes no mistakes. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. God forbid that we ever question the validity of His good gifts to us, like His beloved Son to live and die for us. Through Him , we are forgiven, justified, assured of salvation, Heaven and eternal life with Christ. Yes, He didn’t promise a bed of roses , but He did promise His grace and strength, and way of escape to be able to bear our temptations. He has made us To enjoy Him , and glorify Him forever. He has pledged all the means and help to safely get through life and enter Heaven at last. He is the Potter , and we are the clay. He has every right to do with us as He chooses and we are at His mercy , to live well and die well. He it is that makes us to will and to do of His good pleasure. He will preserve us to the end , but we must persevere to the end. So, may God be true and every man a liar. Life is all about God and His sovereign providences , and not our wills and desires to live as we please. We are debtors to mercy alone , and deserve hell for our sins, BUT GOD, intervened and saved us from our sins and made us to inherit eternal life in Christ Jesus. The difference is if you are saved , you are alive unto God to please Him in all that you do, and if unsaved, the way of a transgressor is hard. So, don’t blame God, but humbly bow before Him and embrace all of His providences as good.Then you’ll be blest in this sin cursed world.Go to God at once and close with Him now. Then, and then alone, you’ll prosper here and hereafter.
Sen,
This is Dan Clark. I was looking through my bookshelf for something to read, and came across David, King of Israel, you gave me this Feb 10, 1984. I’m still looking to Him with that hope of glory. Not sure you will get this, so I won’t say much now. My email is dan.clark123@gmail.com
Regardless, I think the point here most important to remember is that God sent His only begotten son to be tortured and scorned by the ones he came to save and to experience first hand the emotion we all experience, that we could know that there is nothing about us he doesn’t understand. He loves us without condition and gave us the capacity to love Him and our fellows in return without condition as well. The greatest gift we can receive and the greatest gift we can give is love. Love is eternal and Eternity is His promise to those who accept His ultimate sacrifice for us.
There seven billion people on our planet. Two billion are Christians of some sort. If you believe that only Christians can go to heaven, what about the other five billion people? Could it be a merciful and loving God’s plan that they are all doomed to hell?
So, for those who say, if you believe you will be blessed than you will be and if you don’t you won’t,
Have you read the voice of the martyrs books? Do you honestly think that the entry of a entire church in China flattened by a asphalt roller while men with machine guns made sure they laid in front or got shot, really lacked faith to believe in blessings? Oh yes, I’m sure they were having a crisis of faith as they heard fellow believers scream as they were crushed knowing all they had to do was renounce Christ and they would live. I would have to say their blessing came for them in the afterlife. So don’t tell me that I’m not blessed because I don’t believe, and that my wanting a brief respite from a life of pain (neuropathy is no mere inconvenience btw) is somehow not coming because of a lack of faith.
God may have a wonderful plan, like using my bones as fertilizer for the next civilization, but that isn’t exactly a warm fuzzy for some of us. I believe in God and His supreme power of authority, but I also know He self-limits by allowing man-kind free will and thus allowing consequences of free will, which can be brutal for the living. Man kind can’t change God’s plans, but God can and does allow man to reject those plans which causes Him to find an alternate path to the same objective. Meanwhile those affected by the poor choices of themselves or others are left in the wake, and no amount of happy happy thinking changes the laws of physics, so being hit by a drunk driver will still injure you no matter how much you believe it won’t.
Simply stated, this article is correct, telling someone who suffers that God has a plan (good or bad) for his or her life makes God seem distant and cruel; which leads to many leaving the church or avoiding it all together.
Right on.
I have wonderful plans for my children’s lives–for them to have fulfilling jobs, faithful spouses, loving children, financial peace. But my children have free will. Does their free will negate my plans? Not at all. What about if something happens to them that is not their fault–an accident or illness? My plans for them remain just as wonderful.
I feel that God is the same way. Of COURSE His plans are to prosper us and not to harm us; He’s our Daddy! And I’m sure His heart breaks when His wonderful plans for us don’t come to fruition, either by choice or by chance. But God’s infinite love and care for us will never change. His good and perfect will for our lives remains steadfast despite circumstances.
Implicit in the notion that God has wonderful plans for us is that the plans will be carried out. What good is a wonderful plan if it is not carried out? I have a wonderful plan to win the Powerball lottery.
What some dont understand is that FAITH must be involved in that PLAN. And that wonderful PLAN might be what is in store for you in HEAVEN! Not during your life on this earth
St. Paul and St. Augustine both said that faith is hope in things unknown. “Hope” is an expression of uncertainty. If you have faith in a God and in an afterlife, you hope there is a God and an afterlife. As you yourself say, God’s plan for us MIGHT be heaven. You are uncertain. The gist of the article that we are commenting on is that God has a plan for us in this life on earth.
Thank you so much for TRUTH! I just wanted you to know as I was reading this I could not get “Blessings” from Laura Story out of my head. This blog and her song goes hand in hand. Beautiful! – May God continue to bless you & your family –
This post is incredibly pessimistic.
I believe God uses everyone, no matter what their lot, for His WONDERFUL plan. God has a wonderful life planned for everyone. He plans to use everyone in wonderful ways, even if bad things happen to them.
On what basis do you believe that? There’s no evidence of it. I suspect you believe it because you were told to believe it.
I have a lot to handle but I know always God has a reason for everything, I may not know what his plan is however he knows that’s all I have to remember.
I wanted to post pictures but don’t know how.
What was God’s plan for the 3 million children who starved to death last year? What was his plan for 300,000 innocent people who died in Haiti’s earthquake, 20,000 in 35 seconds? What was God’s plan for 6 million Jews murdered in German concentration camps? Believing that a loving, just and merciful God has an eternal plan for you must be comforting, even though there is no evidence of it.
I think that those that can discount this article in place of hoping every promise in His word is true on this earth, would have to take just one example that she gave. A child torn from the womb. It is as much His as you are, and I don’t see fulfilled promises for them here. They have been ended before they could begin. They were formed with purpose. They have been robbed of their earthly promise. How arrogant are your promises over theirs? Be balanced in your theology. That someone would challenge the sensitive fabric and heart of this article astounds me. Jesus wept. And if you cant take off your abundant glasses to have your heart moved for those who don’t live your perfect life is a blemish on His tears.
Thank you for the article. I was very touched and blessed by it. I’ve copied and pasted it in a file so I can share it with others.
I also wrote something similar as I got tired of hearing this out-of-context misinterpretation: “God will never give you more than you can handle”. As I’ve gone thru a painful life with multiple back surgeries at a young age, I felt it was necessary to set people (and Pastors) straight that this idea and phrase is UNBIBLICAL -that the passage (1 Corinthians 10:13) does not read this way, rather it is speaking of temptation, not difficulties in life.
God can and does give people more than they themselves can bear. An example of this is found in 2 Corinthians 1:8 (and many others throughout the entire Bible and people’s stories today).
People hear this statement that there’s nothing God will send their way that they cannot handle, and begin to feel self hatred or like they do not have enough faith or whatever. The only reason He gives us things we cannot handle is so we will be driven to our knees in need of HIM. And that’s Biblical.
Thanks again for your blog and the great blessings many receive from it.
great post! I totally agree..It always bothers me when I hear say It’s God’s will. You have the right perspective. This reminds me of a sign “God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.” God is our strength, and our comfort and light for the way. And, yes God big plan is Heaven.
I would not use that term, but I have said, “God has a plan and a purpose in your life.” which is very true and Biblical. Jeremiah 29:11
Im. About. To. Suicide. I’m. Homeless
Gasper, please go to https://www.imalive.org/ and live chat with someone who can help you. Suicide is never the right answer. I’m praying for you!
True. But this life still matters to me. Don’t make someone if that’s an excuse and all they’ve ever known. Most people don’t make it to heaven anyways but everyone thinks they’ll go
I’ve had a wonderful life, which has been full of hardships, too. My wife is disabled and in a wheelchair now (for the past six years), we lost three grandchildren to adoption, my parents are starting to die (father and stepfather), I have COPD, my daughters live 1500 miles away and we’re all too broke to visit.
But I have awesome grandchildren, a beautiful mother, the best brother and sister ever, a home, a car, and I’ve known more love than I could ever write down. It’s all a matter of perspective. You can see the trials as a blessing or a curse. For my own peace of mind, I HAVE to remember the saying “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” So I focus on the good things, like my grandbabies.
So, we don’t get the wonderful things until after we’re dead. That’s what I’m getting out of this.
In that case, we should hope for an early death.
Yes I agree, the only hope is to wait to die. My whole life has been a nightmare. God doesn’t seem to want me to be happy here on earth..or maybe that is my belief just because my life has been honest to God misery! I don’t know. I don’t know any more, and blog posts like this don’t help any…The sad thing of this is..my life is not even as bad as others..! It’s disgusting and awful but still not as bad as what others go through. But they are them and I am me. What should I do? I really do want to die…but then what will I say when I see God? I will have nothing positive to say….my faith at this point is shattered. I don’t know what else to say. This just feels so hopeless. I do feel as though God hates me and doesn’t care about my having a good life. He gave Job a better life, but not me. I guess in God’s eyes abuse, rape, illness, poverty, and being shunned by happy shiney ppl isn’t enough suffering…Jesus please forgive me for saying these things. I feel very lost and my life is truly miserable. I am not going to be in denial about this any longer..God you’ve given me a miserable lonesome life and it just keeps getting worse.
I’m so sorry for your pain. I hope you will consider seeking a good Christian counselor to help you deal with your feelings of despair.
Pain is spiritual belssing that is considered as suffering.gedeprama|bellofpeace.org
Thank you so much for posting this… You have no idea what this means to me today. I live with severe chronic pain each day, and find that I can’t look too far ahead… It looks bleak. I don’t look any further ahead than one day, I know God has me in his hand and functionally I can focus on that… I can get up, go to work come home and collapse… Because God strengthens me for that day… I am sad when people tell me “God has something big for me in my future”. I can still pray, I can still do His will… He knows my limitations… Why isn’t it okay that my life is ordinary, but full of His grace? Why does there have to be some big shiny moment for me? If I am one day physically healed, no doubt I will shout God’s praise for that… But why limit myself and not shout His praise for the joys, love and things that happen in my life NOW. I can’t do that if I am constantly waiting for ” something big”! I am looking forward to God’s Kingdom in heaven, when I can be free from pain and illness… But there are so many blessings to experience here, now… We forget that God is with us in the mundane and He can work great big things in the mundane too… Again thank for posting!
It took me a while to believe it with all my heart, but it’s true, He showed me! God is so good we have no idea! A fab post x
Life is NOT a rollercoaster ride! It is falling into a black pit!
If you experience good in life then congrats you are god’s special snowflake.
There are people who experience absolutely nothing but despair, humiliation, and loneliness. They do not get to go to heaven because they don’t believe they are going. You only get to go to heaven if you already know it…a viscious and cruel game that god plays on the weak and broken!
It astonishes me that Jesus would go through all the trouble to suffer on the cross only to completely abandon everyone to their own devices the second it was finished. It’s almost like he is playing a nasty trick on those experiencing depression and despair. Like the school bully who threatens the insecure kids.
The whole concept of “saved by faith” fills me with infinite horror and rage. We are so screwed!
This is the problem with many christians thinking that god has a wonderful plan. I know alot of christian testimonies about how God never came through for them even though HE SAID HE WOULD.
I think you all need to realize that god lied to you. Its like a sales pitch when a con artists makes. They try to sale you something promising and when
n you do buy into it turned out yo be false.
NOTHING HE SAID TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE.
Ifind it funny when hoe scripture sayd that God can do anything but lie. LOL.
Really? God cant lie…
Why cant we say the same abou t God?
He says he will protect and provide and then he doesnt.
Come on… We need to accept the harsh truth that God lied to us. Or man lied…
But unrelated to this thread….
All I can say is…”WOW” to some of these discouraging comments. Life is tough sometimes, but all things are possible with God. Don’t listen to the enemy, get into God’s word and power up! We are more than conquerors, the enemy has been defeated. Know who you are IN Christ and take a stand for His truth in your life and don’t move from that position no matter the circumstance. Stay in the Light!!!!
So true. I’ve stood over the grave and now know that this life will not be wonderful. It will have its moments, but will return to what it is. But it is a brief glimmer in the light of eternity. Thank you for this.
Jesus told us to take up our crosses and follow Him…. to the cross. His life was full of both pains and victories, all in the Father’s timing. God wants us to follow Jesus’ example of trust in His Heavenly Father in all things, good and bad, knowing He works all things together for our good. I guess I needed to say this, because I’m preaching to myself. I have been very sad about the numerous deep trials the Lord has allowed in my life, but He has also shown His miraculous presence to me. That is worth everything.