Many of you know that I have an aquaintence who recently suffered a complete spinal cord injury. As a result, he is paralyzed from the chest down. After his intensive care stay and spinal fusion he made a statement to his family and friends as he was transferred to rehab. This is paraphrased, but basically this is what he said:
God has a plan, and I don't understand it, but there is a lesson to be learned here. God got my attention and now I need to listen carefully to what He has to say.
Jesse continued with therapy and after about 10 weeks, he was released to go home. Slowly, his spirits started to fade and he became depressed. He still believes that God has a plan, but now his emotional reaction to his loss has taken over his mood. He wants to know what God wants him to learn. He is mad and sad, and hates the idea that others have to help him now, after being independant for so long. He has started questioning God as to why God had to let this happen in order for him to learn whatever lesson it is that he is supposed to be learning.
The more and more I have thought about Jesse and his struggles, and the more and more I have talked with him, the more and more a new way of thinking has made itself known to me.
What if- what if God isn't trying to use his accident to teach Jesse a lesson at all? Maybe if there is in fact a lesson to be learned, it isn't for Jesse. Maybe it is for his family, his friends, his church, or his community? What if the lesson to be learned is a lesson of service? What if it is a lesson about acceptance, flexibility or disarming discrimination? Is it possible that God is using Jesse's accident as an opportunity to teach Jesse's family what true service and committment really look like? This is just a theory of course, it's just a different way to look at it...
When bad things happen, we want to find a reason for what has happened and Jesse feels like he needs a reason to move on. I suppose it is human to think that when anything happens that it surely has to be "all about me," but the reality is that God uses our lives in so many ways that we don't usually think about.
I think Jesse is right... I think that there is a lesson to be learned because of this tragedy- I am just not sure that it is his lesson to learn.
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Trying to determine causation in this world is an exercise in futility. Part of faith is realizing that the world is beyond our comprehension. We can strive to understand; but, at some point in everyone's life every individual will hit a wall that one cannot overcome. Often, that is when some will make a leap of faith into an understanding that transcends what we can ascertain by our five senses. For others who are left behind, they are trapped in a world of remorse and limited knowledge. I am reminded of the story in the gospel of John that illustrates this best:
"1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him."
Learning to live each day by faith is the journey we are all on. We will keep Jesse lifted up in our prayers.
So, God caused this man to be paralyzed and incapacitated for life so that people could learn to be more faithful?
Nice God.
Seems to me he could have sent a mass email, or done an infomercial or something.
Heck, even the old pillar of fire seems to be a little more workable and a LOT more merciful than using this man's life for an object lesson.
Maybe there IS no lesson to be learned from this. . .except that life is fragile and each day should be treated like a gift.
I would encourage you to read the post again. I said that God was using this tragedy as an opportunity - I didnt say that God did this to him.
I also said, IF THERE IS IN FACT A LESSON TO BE LEARNED...
Geesh.
Conni, Conni, Conni,...
If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. When you put up posts like this one, you WILL get some heat. "Geesh" is not the right comment to make when you want discussion on a very difficult topic. I'm inclined to think that Anonymous #1 was just expressing some very raw emotions on a controversial issue. You are not "raw" or "unrefined" and your comments shouldn't be either. You are a child of God-you walk with the King!
My comment was not unrefined or ungodly. I was simply restating my exact words from the first post-he didn't quite get them the first time that I said them, so I though a repeat would be good!
Geesh is not unrefined or ungodly either. It is a term of frustration... which is what I was feeling.
"Nice God" is unrefined and ungodly in my opinion.
You are right, when people post posts like this one, we run the risk of having people lash out... but that doesnt mean that we shouldnt defend ourselves, our faith, or GOD.
"Geesh"..."Jesus"...they almost sound alike to me.
I am sorry that you think they sound the same.
If you are offended, please accept my deepest apology.
I'll be praying for your friend.
Did you see Oprah today? It was about people who had been changed by life-threatening circumstances. Very interesting.
In our house, "Jeez", "Geesh", "Gosh" "Golly" are all substitutes for our Lord's Name, which is still taking His name in vain.
I'm sorry to hear about your friend. But this whole "Gosh, Geeze, Golly oh my stuff, is ridiculous. I ask you, do you think God cares whether or not we use slag that may or maynot be related to the originial "God" or "Jesus" negatives?
I think he cares that we love him, we honor him, we praise him, and that we try to help and uplift others! When people start nit picking over all these tiny details, they get lost in them, and forget what the real message of Christ is. Get over yourselves people. God is Love, not symantics!
I think it is pretty sad that everyone jumped all over Conni for using a Euphemism for "taking the Lord's name in Vain", but no one really said much about the first Anonymous poster who basically implied that God is either not present or is ruthless in nature.
Bunch of straining out gnats and swallowing camels if you ask me.
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