Where Is God?
Currently, I am reading a very interesting book by a Holocaust survivor, called, Say the Name by Judith H. Sherman. The book is powerful, with raw emotion, and intensity and is a narrative, in prose and poetry, which speaks in two voices: one of the thirteen year old girl who experienced dismemberment and destruction of her family, Jewery, and perhaps even her belief in God, and the second voice of an adult survivor remembering family friends, hunger, pain suffering, with emotions that range from raw anger to unspeakable pain, while searching for a dialogue with a God who was not there for her.
As I am reading this book, it makes me think about how at times many of us may experience life on two tracks: one track where we feel a deep connection and relationship with God, and another, when we are in a state of pain or suffering, question where God is for us, and why He allows such desperate acts and events to occur in our lives.
Here is the question for the rest of the week: Do you ever ask, where is God? If so, why and how do you reconcile your love and belief with unpleasant or unfortunate experiences that may occur during your lifetime?
Thank you for your minds.
As I am reading this book, it makes me think about how at times many of us may experience life on two tracks: one track where we feel a deep connection and relationship with God, and another, when we are in a state of pain or suffering, question where God is for us, and why He allows such desperate acts and events to occur in our lives.
Here is the question for the rest of the week: Do you ever ask, where is God? If so, why and how do you reconcile your love and belief with unpleasant or unfortunate experiences that may occur during your lifetime?
Thank you for your minds.
15 Comments:
Great Question..
It all goes back to free will. If we would have been able to decide between free will or God imposing his will on us, we would have chosen free will thinking we couldnt do wrong... those of you who have children might feel greater love once you stop imposing your will and watching your kid do good...
.. but we do wrong.. and bad things happen... and in the case of natural disasters.. well, we are not above mother nature. Life has an order, and that order takes precedence (the circle of life?).
It has only been 18 months since losing my mother. I am not as near to God as I used to be. Not so much for my mother's death, but because I have not been able to feel anything that would tell me there is an after life, and thats where she is. Also, things in both my father and my life have been much rougher from other sides that do not pertain to her. And I wonder why?
But, did God abandon me, or did I adandon him? Where is God? Im my faith. Which is very shaky right now. Maybe If I start believing again with all my heart, I can make better things happen; and once again, find God.
I honestly think God is always with us. He hurts when we are in pain, but we are sent here to earth to experience life. Many times life is not what we expect. We have trials and tribulations, but we need to know that God is there for us. We need to cling to him to get us through our trials. Everyone has trials, some more than others. Why should we think that life is going to be easier for us than our next door neighbor? Many times we bring on our own trials by things that we do. Other times, things just happen. All I know is that God is always there. Pray to him and ask him for support. Grow from your experiences. Great post Barb!
I don’t know, nor do I pretend to know why some of the things that happen happen. I used to wonder whether God is punishing me/us; is He busy elsewhere; doesn’t he know there are those suffering needlessly?
My faith today, for the most part, doesn’t go there. We as humans are imperfect. And I believe that we as humans have been given the greatest gift of all: Free will. For the most part, I don’t believe that God will step in and interfere with our growing pains. Not overtly or obviously anyway.
It is upon us, collectively and individually, to seek His will for us and the strength to carry that out. Quite obviously, easier said than done.
Furthermore - God doesn't need me, I need Him.
Mike
Great post, Barbara. Tough question.
when we are in a state of pain or suffering, question where God is for us, and why He allows such desperate acts and events to occur in our lives.
This struck me because this MOSTLY describes me, except for the part about pain. I am not in pain. Nor am I suffering. I have been blessed with a pretty good life.
But even so, my degrees are in math and science and I question God's existence all of the time...not from a place of pain, but from a place of logic and reason. I see so many inconsistencies in the Torah and I don't often buy the way they are explained away. But since I feel that it is written by man, I am ok with that.
For me, the concept of God varies. The only way I can really get it to work for me is to believe along the lines tht God is science. Or Mother Nature. Or perhaps God is a metaphor for the best aspirations of mankind.
i believe there is no god or at least no god that actually knows or cares anything about us as individuals...
are we so arrogant to think a god that created everything in the universe is tracking our daily lives?
jeez, and people worry about the government...
"I will not leave you, I cannot leave you, for you are My creation and My product, My daughter and My son, My purpose and My... Self. Call on Me, therefore, wherever and whenever you are separate from the peace that I am. I will be there. With Truth. And Light. And Love." ~Conversations with God
I don't ask where god is because I know where it is. It's the vital life force in the universe, the same force that makes electrons circle nuclei and planets circle suns. God is literally within us. Yes, I am a pantheist. Can you believe a pantheist posts on this blog? *gasp* (y.y. is going to love that.)
Since I believe that god, a.k.a. vital life force, is within all of us, I believe that what we choose to use its energy for is up to us. When I witness evil, I don't wonder where god is, I wonder where humanity has gone wrong.
I think everyone asks it. But I must disagree with tmelendez because the concept of free will is just ONE concept in the Christian faith. The other is called predestination. Some believe one, some believe another, and some believe a combo of the two.
Predestination means, you have no choice, no free will. You're set in place, you're predestined to go in a certain direction. Believe it or not, there's Biblical evidence for that theory, though (of course) most of us would rather believe in free will.
Anyway, that's a bit theological for this discussion here. So, here's my answer:
I think that everyone asks where god is, and why he/she allows what he/she allows.
1) Some say that god set the world spinning and periodically intervenes, and it's too much to believe that he/she intervenes in every minutiae in our lives (unless, perhaps, he/she decides to respond to prayers).
2) Others say that god cares about every little thing, but chooses to let us make our own decisions anyway. How do you reconcile this to things like child molestation (where the child has no say in the matter) or murder? So one person imposes his will unjustly on another who has no choice, and therefore no free will. What? Free will is only available to one person at a time?
I have no answers. The jury's still out on this one for me.
I'd like to think that god is closer to the second god but that when decisions affect someone who had no choice in the matter, it is in order to teach them, or someone near to them, a valuable lesson which will help enlighten them in some way. No matter how horrible it is.
Or, perhaps god is just busy elsewhere.
winterwheat
100% correct ;)
Such amazing answers here. And one opinion does not necessarily exclude another.
I can identify to letting go, let God, turning everything over to God, and seeing God inside of every living thing, including ourselves.
When horrific things happen, often people blame God or wonder where God is, but the question is do we really give up or faith in God? For me, the answer is no.
WW, it is not suprising that YY would disagree with you. His belief system is one of a very interesting but extreme group of Hasidic Jews called Satmar. Actually, I have always been fascinated with this group of people, who have little exposure or understanding to the outside world. There is a wonderful book called UNCHOSEN by Hella Winston written on them, some who find the need to leave this group, at least in body, but not in thought. I respect their way of thinking, but do not agree with it one hundred percent. In fact, a person who belongs to this sect of Hasidics might conclude that one who does not follow the principles of Judaism as they do is not a Jew, and might be labeled a heretic. This could be done to instill guilt, or because this is what they are taught. Nevertheless, they are fascinating.
Me & MY Yestzer said:
At the same time, God's presence, to me, is like a bolt of lightening on a dark night. It flashes for a moment, lights up the landscape and then is gone.
During the moments when the light is gone I have to grope through the dark with the memory of the flash and the path is pointed out to me.
Beautifully stated, and described. I can relate to that bolt of lighting as well.
Thank you for visiting my blog with your illuminating thoughts!
I don't ask that question because I don't believe in God. For me, examples of gods and goddesses are all around us: Sun, Sky, Moon, Wind, Water, Earth.
The best answer I've found is in a book by C.S.Lewis, "A Grief Observed." This was recommended to me many years ago by a counselor after the tragic death of my fiance.
Although the book deals with the sad and untimely death of his wife, it gives insight into Lewis' relationship with God (Lewis had been an agnostic for most of his life), and answers, in part, some of the questions about "WHY?"
He, along with Francis Schaffer, became two of my favorite authors during my college years. Lewis is still one of my all-time favorite authors.
I always know where I am, do you remember?
(WinterWheat, there seems to be a few of us here visiting Barbara)
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home