God's Will

[swissfox]

Hello All,

So recently I've been wondering.....is every single little thing that happens in life God's will? I know He knows everything, but is it really His will that someone crashes their mountain bike while out for a ride? If so, doesn't that contradict our free will? I'm having trouble reconciling this if anyone can help.

Thanks,

swissfox

 

[Strypes]

Hello @swissfox

What I know is that God (The one true living God) loves us. He has indeed given us free will.

Does every single malicious act or thought of all mankind require God's stamp of approval? Or does every disease or pain causing thing originate from God's will? ... No.

God is all knowing and he knows the heart and intents of all mankind. And because He gives us freewill to chose right from wrong, evil exist.

So what is God's will?

Here is a passage from Micah chapter 6 in the old testament...

Hear ye now what the LORD saith ; Arise , contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. 2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. 3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. 4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted , and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. 6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 9 The LORD'S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. 10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable ? 11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? 12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. 13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins. 14 Thou shalt eat , but not be satisfied ; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold , but shalt not deliver ; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. 15 Thou shalt sow , but thou shalt not reap ; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine. 16 For the statutes of Omri are kept , and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. KJV

We all have the freewill to choose to do God's will. Few do and the result is this wicked world which will be judged.


From the New Testament ...

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say , Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall not escape . 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep , as do others; but let us watch and be sober . 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober , putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep , we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do . 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks : for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesying. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. KJV

We have free will to make our choice. We can trust God and be thankful in every circumstance knowing that He is on our side for all things WILL work together for our good.

Or we can choose to go against Him and face the consequences

 

[Strypes]

I posted and then decided not to elaborate.
So this post is an attempt to delete it.

: )

 

[Travis]

Hello All,

So recently I've been wondering.....is every single little thing that happens in life God's will? I know He knows everything, but is it really His will that someone crashes their mountain bike while out for a ride? If so, doesn't that contradict our free will? I'm having trouble reconciling this if anyone can help.

Thanks,

swissfox

Hi Swissfox,

Here is my opinion:

In one sense, looking at it from an eternal, outside of time perspective (as if that were possible for me to do), we could probably say that every single little thing that happens is part of God's will. And we know that even looking at things from within this lifetime, even though everything that happens is not necessarily God's perfect will, that it is still bound by or contained inside of God's will.

Romans 8 KJV
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?​

But, that can also lead us to a place of complete despair if we try to reconcile all these things in our minds in the here and now. I know it has done that to me at least.

We can't see things from God's perspective, because he lives in eternity, outside of time. So, within our limited perspective of things, everything that happens is definitely not God's will. I cut my finger pretty bad the other day. If that was God's perfect will for me to do that, I could conclude then that God was mad at me and punishing me. But I know that this is not true. But, God can still use that event for good, even though he didn't desire it to happen to me. Satan hasn't been crushed yet, he is still at large and looking for anyone he can to devour. He most definitely can and will cause undesirable things to happen in our lives. But even still, he is on a leash.

I have a will, I can decide what I do or don't want to do. But my will isn't completely free. I can't save myself from this sinful body of death I am in with my own will power. As much and as hard as I may try, I can't get rid of it from myself. Also, as much I try, I can't just jump off the ground and start flying through the air. My will is bound by the limitations that God has already set in place; I can only work within those limitations. God though, he has free will, he has the power to do as he pleases. But, we know that he cannot lie, he cannot break his word. So, God is the only one who truly has free will, but we know that even he will not do certain things, for He is Good.

My will < God's will
My thoughts < His thoughts

so ya, This is what I think about all this:

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

Grace to you,

Travis

 

[james1523]

Hello All,

So recently I've been wondering.....is every single little thing that happens in life God's will? I know He knows everything, but is it really His will that someone crashes their mountain bike while out for a ride? If so, doesn't that contradict our free will? I'm having trouble reconciling this if anyone can help.

Thanks,

swissfox

For believers, yes, every little thing, not a hair on your head is outside of God's will (Luke 21:19), so if you crash your mountain bike there is a purpose, and it could be a result of God's judgement for something you have done or said to displease Him. Something like that happened to me once, and I know its happened to others too. Or He allows certain things to test you and help you grow. . Such things are under God's sovereignty. For unbelievers, no, God lets them do as they please, and many things happen to them because of pure chance and coincidence, they will be judged in future when Christ returns.