In recent years I have become a fan of live music. I love going to small, local venues and hearing local talent. An integral part of the experience, for me, is a contemplation of the difficulty and hardship that artists face on a daily basis. In complete contrast, I imagine and envy what I assume to be their great joy in having found a gift, a passion, and pursuing that. It must be God's plan for their life, and I wish I had the same gift of knowing, beyond any doubt, this is what I was meant to do.
Being a control
freak and a perfectionist I would really like to feel deeply, with
conviction, that I am doing the right thing, living the right life. As
if there was always only one right thing. It is uncomfortable to admit that there are many "right" things and degrees of "rightness." Even though my intellect wants to be
black-and-white, my heart is full of nothing but gray.
During the past two weeks' discussions we moved away from the idea that God intervenes directly in our daily lives. God is not a micro-manager. The idea of predestination precludes exercising free will, so I guess I have to assume responsibility for my actions. That doesn't mean that God doesn't provide us with guidelines on what to do, how to live. Hamilton presents the idea that God gives us an outline for living our lives, and we fill in the details by how we choose to live. His suggestion is that we are to collaborate With God in living our lives.
It occurs to me that in order to collaborate with someone on any project, be it a short story or the story of your life, you have to have dialogue - open, two-way communication. I don't know about you, but most days I am so busy answering the phone, e-mail, Facebook, researching the best purchase, the best way to do something, the best doctor, the best whatever that I am closed to input that doesn't fulfill a current need or identified goal. I think that would include any communication I might receive about how I am living. Keeping my mind - and heart - open to the nudging and guidance to help me fill in the details of God's outline is a constant challenge.
Maybe part of the problem in in how I define and understand the will of God for my life. If I expect that God has a plan - like I am sure He has for those musicians - and my expectations aren't met, my disappointment lays the first course of a brick wall between us. The more I consider this question, the more I believe it is a about a prescriptive, patient process than a predetermined, precise plan. Maybe I don't have to be so jealous of those musicians. Maybe I can choose to listen, to live into the outline. Maybe I do have an important role to play, and it is in how I live, not what I live. Maybe it isn't about choosing a life, but living a life.
Cyndie - I enjoy your posting(s). In considering what is God's plan the question comes to my mind as to whether Eve eating the "fruit" was in or out of God's plan? This has led me to understand God's plan may not have been so much as to whether the fruit was eaten but perhaps it has more to do with just the interface between God and Us! You and I will make some good choices and some bad choice but it seems to me the ultimate goal is not how many right choices we make but just how much we involved God in our lives! Just a thought and thanks again for the posts. Terry
ReplyDeleteAs a pastor, I am accutely aware that we are not good at helping people connect with prayer. I was particularly struck by your comment about communication. We do need to be attentive and open to God's presence in our lives, but all of that is simple sentiment if people are not given the tools to put that into practice. I have been inspired by you again!! This Sunday, during our discussion time, I am going to introduce people to several different tools that they can use as they "commune" with God. I hope I see you all there!
ReplyDeletePastor Suzanne