i have spent a lot of time since i got in here reading peoples opinions of god and the existance of HIM, or not. and many people bring up alot of good points both for the belefe and against the belief. well its my turn...

to understand my reasoning you first have to know a bit about me, i am a single mom of 4 kids, who was left byu her cheating abusive ex after he held a knife to my throat becuse i was mad that his girlfriend had messaged me telling me that she hoped that my unborn child ended up "coating for a tampon"... my best friend in the world died in a horrendious car accident when i was 19 only weeks after he had asked me to marry him, he was barely 18. i have been raped on 3 seperate occasions, twice by people i trusted, and once by a complete stranger, my mother well sehs my mother and i love her, but thats about all the good things i can say...

now if you read that and you feel sorry for me, you are missing the point. i am GREATFUL that my unborn did NOT die, adn is now a happy and healthy baby, i am blessed that i have a mother, and i love my children with everything in my hear and soul. my ex leaving me, although i could have done without the knife, was a blessing, and though it left me alone with 4 children, i still have my children. and my best friend loved me as deeply as i loved him, even if the realization of this was shortlived, i would not trade it for anything in the world.
the point i try to make here is that God does not lay upon us any more than we can handle. i have had some obsticales in my life, but i am here and stronger for them ,and i beleve a better mother becuser of these tough times. HE tests us, and gives us options, sometimes we choose the worst of the 2 options, but regardless we do have options, and HE always finds a way to make our lives beter in the end, even if it takes a wihile to see the forrest throught the trees.
some would look at my experiences that i have menitoned above and say that they were proof that there is no god. that mankind is completely selfsufficent, but i beleve that it just shows that HE cares all the more about us.

i have survuved, and my children ave survuved, and we area a better family because of it.

this may not make sence outside of my head, but there it is.. take it or leave it...
and god be with you all..

God bless you Izzie
U've seen through pain the glory of God, few people are able to do that.

TLW

TY TLW

Your post shows what a belief in God can do for our character and moral. All the hurt and turmoil you gave in your post was replaced by love, understanding, and gratitude. Seems to me that...that is what we are taught. Through all the darkness; there is light. And through every closed door; another one will open.
Kat

Izzie;

What can one say - you my dear have been blessed with wisdom far beyond your years! I'd say "God bless you", but it's obvious that he already has!

lj

Izzie

((((Izzie)))))

izzie, you are an amazing person

Thank you for sharing with us. Perhaps you would like to go a short step to a lifetime of renewal?

The Hebrew names are Yahweh - Mal 3:16-18 Then shall those who fear יהוה speak to one another, and יהוה listen and hear, and a book of remembrance be written before Him, of those who fear יהוה, and those who think upon His Name. “And they shall be Mine,” said יהוה of hosts, “on the day that I prepare a treasured possession. And I shall spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. “Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wrong, between one who serves Elohim and one who does not serve Him.

and Yahushua - Act 2:38 And Kĕpha said to them, “Repent, and let each one of you be immersed in the Name of יהושע Messiah for the forgiveness of sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit.

i guess everyone has one.

izzie:

I definitely applaud you for your unwavering optimism and tremendous strength after such difficulties. Not everyone is capable of maintaining an attitude such as yours.

However, you said, "God does not lay upon us any more than we can handle." I disagree with that. First, let's lay out some of the unspoken premises: (1) God Exists and (2) God is actively responsible for the external things that happen in our lives. These are requirements for the statement you made to be true, and I won't argue against them.

Your conclusion assumes that all hardships can be overcome by the victim. This is where I have a real problem with your statement. People have been mangled so badly in automobile accidents or burned so badly in fire that they cannot be given enough morphine to dull the perpetual, agonizing pain without killing them. Some people have faced horrific, traumatic events that have left them forever ruined emotionally. Others experience the effects of tragic head wounds, leaving them with the inability to carry on a conversation or care for themselves in even the smallest ways.

Crippling pain, agonizing illness, mental and emotional devastation, and horrific death — do these all fit in the category of "things we can handle?" Some people are stronger than others and can handle the stresses of life more easily, but if you claim that God never piles onto anyone's back more than the bearer can stand then your reasoning is flawed. Clearly _some_ people withstand great hardship, as you have, but some people are not as strong as you are, and many people have experienced many worse things than you have.

If you believe that God has given you the strength to overcome adversity, by all means give praise. But please do not do a disservice to those who have seen loved ones crumble under life's hardships by stating that God only gives each person the load s/he can bear. It is insulting and carries the implication that those who have not triumphed are somehow deserving of their fate.

(And no, I'm not specifically talking about myself here. I have not experienced a crushing blow, nor has anyone close to me. But I have seen agony, mental illness, and death, and it is clear that not everyone is capable of withstanding the burdens of life.)

I'm not trying to be difficult, nor is it my wish to attack you. I realize that your statement is a common one, and I'm sorry to single you out. However, people should be more mindful of tossing around clichés such as this.

Respect!

may much good and love come your way

resserts. i also have had friends and family members in situations similar to those you describe. the thing is that just as there is a heaven and a hell there is a god and a saitn.

and as the title of this thread dictates.. it is just my opinion.

Are we to attribute all good things in life to God and all bad things to Satan? In that case, is it not Satan who piles on our burden, and God who prevents it from being too heavy? If such is the case, God fails in many instances.

I'm not criticizing your belief that God has helped you, but if that's the case then God doesn't help everyone to the same degree as God has helped you. If we want to suggest that God treats all people with the same degree of love and compassion, then it's much more reasonable to believe that God does not intervene (nor would God allow Satan to intervene) in the various aspects of our lives. Either God is wholly unfair, or God allows nature to take its course without divine intervention.

I'm really not picking on you, so please don't feel that this is a personal attack. This is just a pet peeve of mine — the assumption that anything good in my life is thanks to God, while failing to recognize there are others who are not so fortunate in similar situations. And if everthing negative is attributable to Satan, that's suggesting that Satan a LOT of power equivalent to God. (That opens up a whole new discussion about dualism and deistic power that probably deviates too far from the topic at hand.)

I would much rather congratulate you (and I do) on maintaining a sunny disposition in the face of adversity and to commend you on a personal strength few possess. I am sincerely happy for you, considering all that you have been through. You haven't been broken by your situation, and I think that's wonderful. Regardless of our difference in opinion, please accept my happiness for you as genuine.

Resserts;

While I certainly see your point, and am not going to get into the "God not giving us more than we can handle", I would like to add a point missing from your argument (for lack of a better word). Yes - all things Good (in the utopic sense of the word) come from God. He is the giver of all good things - but the evil we experience is a mere consequence of our actions.Surely you are aware of the phrase "God is not mocked, as ye reap - so shall ye sow". Man is inherantly evil. This "attribute" is a result of the fall of Adam and Eve - due to the choices made from the temptation of Satan. To say that Satan causes all evil is a misnomer - "influences" is perhaps a better choice of wording, for evil is an action eminating from man. So the question of "duality in deity" assumes that the root cause of evil is attributed to Satan - where it - in truth - is a product of man.

>> But please do not do a disservice to those who have seen loved ones crumble under life's hardships by stating that God only gives each person the load s/he can bear. It is insulting and carries the implication that those who have not triumphed are somehow deserving of their fate


I thought I was the only one who cared so strongly about things like this.

Or God is God and we cant see behind the wall, we dont know his plan. We are supposed to draw close to him.
No one on this earth will love you like he does. Ya better repent!

The Heart



"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began,
"I'll open up your heart..."


"You'll find Jesus there," the boy
interrupted.


the surgeon looked up, annoyed "I'll
cut your heart open," he continued,
to see how much damage has been
done..."


"but when you open up my heart, you'll
find Jesus in there," said the boy.


The surgeon looked to the parents, who
Sat quietly. "When I see how much
damage has been done, I'll sew your
heart and chest back up, and I'll plan
what to do next."


"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The
Bible says He lives there. The
hymns all say He lives there. You'll
find Him in my heart."

The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell
you what I'll find in your heart.
I'll find damaged muscle, low blood
supply, and weakened vessels.
And I'll find out if I can make you well."

"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives
there."

The surgeon left.

The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery,
"...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle
degeneration.
No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy:
painkillers and bed rest Prognosis:
here he paused, "death within one year."


He stopped the recorder, but there was
more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud.
"Why did You do this? You've put
him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him to an
early death. Why?"

The Lord answered and said, "The boy,
my lamb, was not meant for your
flock for long, for he is a part of My
flock, and will forever be.
Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you
cannot imagine.

His parents will one day join him here,
and they will know peace, and
My flock will continue to grow."

The surgeon's tears were hot, but his
anger was hotter. "You created that
boy, and You created that heart. He'll
be dead in months. Why?"

The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb,
shall return to My flock, for He has
done his duty: I did not put My lamb
with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb."
The surgeon wept...

The surgeon sat
beside the boy's bed; the boy's
parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut
open
my heart?"

"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.

"I found Jesus there," said the
surgeon.

Author Unknown -




this is why reserts... this is why...

Thank you for sharing that.They say God does'nt give us more then we can handle.And you sure had enough to deal with.But maybe this will help others to see ,with his grace we can get through it.Pam