Hello,
I'd like to know how you know whether something in life is God's will , or is it just luck. If its luck or plain "chance", even "chance" can have good and bad effects? How do you know its from God?
Also, if you pray for something, and find all the doors closed except for ONE door; how do you know that THAT particular "open" door is from God?
Comments
I think...it depends on ur relationship with God. If u are close enough to God , u will know if this what He wants or no.
Hope i helped abit
Remeber me in ur prayers
Rana
Everyone has a relationship with God; but do we have to have apparitions to know what His will is??
How do we know what His will is then??
[quote author=rana rizk link=topic=5216.msg69862#msg69862 date=1176751417]
Hi,
I think...it depends on ur relationship with God. If u are close enough to God , u will know if this what He wants or no.
Hope i helped abit
Remeber me in ur prayers
Rana
The Holy Spirit within u will guide u. Also, as you said if u see that u have lots of doors tht are open and every thing is going smoothly..thn it is the Will of God.
Hope i helped..if still not satisfied ask me agian
Rana
Hi,
The Holy Spirit within u will guide u. Also, as you said if u see that u have lots of doors tht are open and every thing is going smoothly..thn it is the Will of God.
Hope i helped..if still not satisfied ask me agian
Rana
What about asking God for signs?
Well, while it's true that everyone has a relationship with God, not all relationships are the same or have the same depth. Take St. Antony of Moses for example. These are men who were able to speak directly with God, and God spoke back (audibly of course). Now, the way we know God's will is by praying about a matter and then leaving it in His hands. Of course, that is not to say we don't just sit idly waiting for an answer. If it is a matter that requires a decision, then make the decision after you've prayed about it. If it's something that happens down the road, work towards what you think God would want, and see what happens. He has a way of diverting your path should you pick the wrong one. Trust me on this, I'm speaking from experience here. Just submit and be willing to bend should the path you take result in a dead end.
[quote author=vassilios link=topic=5216.msg69876#msg69876 date=1176753477]
What about asking God for signs?
He gives signs. What we should ask for is to see the signs He gives us.
Thanks for the answer. THat's great.
Unfortunately, we have to make decisions in life at times when we are not at the spiritual level of Saint Anthony or saint Moses; so we ask for His guidance at least.
I hope God will divert our paths... I hate the idea of following my desires; but perhaps my desires are God's will? I've got no idea???!!
But what u wrote really assured me, and I hope its true: that regardless of what decision /path we've taken; if we had asked for His guidance, then He will divert our paths so that we end up doing His will. Could you sign that?
[quote author=Κηφᾶς link=topic=5216.msg69877#msg69877 date=1176753484]
[coptic]+ Pi`<rictoc aftonf>[/coptic]
Well, while it's true that everyone has a relationship with God, not all relationships are the same or have the same depth. Take St. Antony of Moses for example. These are men who were able to speak directly with God, and God spoke back (audibly of course). Now, the way we know God's will is by praying about a matter and then leaving it in His hands. Of course, that is not to say we don't just sit idly waiting for an answer. If it is a matter that requires a decision, then make the decision after you've prayed about it. If it's something that happens down the road, work towards what you think God would want, and see what happens. He has a way of diverting your path should you pick the wrong one. Trust me on this, I'm speaking from experience here. Just submit and be willing to bend should the path you take result in a dead end.
But i dont think looking for signs is a good thing. Because each one will interperate it in his way. So dont look for signs..do whatever u feel is right and what would Jesus do if He was in ur place.
Rana
Hi,
But i dont think looking for signs is a good thing. Because each one will interperate it in his way. So dont look for signs..do whatever u feel is right and what would Jesus do if He was in ur place.
Rana
Jesus didnt need to buy a house
Jesus didn't need to buy a car
Jesus came to die for us. We were born to live. The needs of each of us are different. I cannot put myself in Jesus' shoes and walk like Him, but i can
a) repent my sins
b) Sing songs at Church
c) confess to a priest
d) have the communion for the remission of my sins.
This is the miserable best I can do to follow Christ. What then does Christ and I have in common???
If Our Lord Jesus was in my place, He'd say to Himself "Ya vassilios, Ya vassilios, you are busy wasting your time finding a wife/car/house/job, just chill out and go for a long walk on the water - say the atlantic, and have some fun".
If Jesus was in my shoes, he'd be going off healing people, preaching etc.. i can't heal anyone - believe me, i've tried. I can't preach to save my life. And i cannot walk on water. I cannot raise people from the dead (and yes, i tried!!)
All i want is to know that whatever I do, I want to be 110% sure that its God's will. How hard is that????
Perhaps because the things we ask for are so petty, that God isnt bothered.
Vassilios,
I sympathize, I really do, because I am in the exact same position as you. But here are some verses to comfort you and remind you that nothing is petty in God's eyes.
What i meant is that ...when u r facing a situation...say What Would Jesus Do. That is all i meant and also your conscience will guide u since u have the Holy Spirit...that all i meant
I really appreciate that. I just have to trust in what you said that somehow God will divert my path if I chose the wrong one.
Cheers
[quote author=Κηφᾶς link=topic=5216.msg69887#msg69887 date=1176754935]
[coptic]+ Pi`<rictoc aftonf>[/coptic]
Vassilios,
I sympathize, I really do, because I am in the exact same position as you. But here are some verses to comfort you and remind you that nothing is petty in God's eyes.
HI,
What i meant is that ...when u r facing a situation...say What Would Jesus Do. That is all i meant and also your conscience will guide u since u have the Holy Spirit...that all i meant
Rana,
That's good. I do believe taht we should listen to the Holy Spirit in our hearts, but the only problem is this:
THe Holy SPirit will convict our hearts of what we do. It will scream at our consciences telling us to repent. If we refuse to repent, then we are condeming ourselves.
Now, I wanna buy a house: why on earth would the Holy Spirit tell me if its wise or not?? I wish to travel to the USA and get a job, why would the Holy Spirit tell me its good for me or not???
A psychiatrist once said :"A problem requires at least TWO persons to exist". One person cannot have a problem alone.
So, even if u are finding a wife, and there are problems - its natural. its common. Where then would God's voice be??
This is the miserable best I can do to follow Christ. What then does Christ and I have in common???
He is in you and you have His Holy Spirit. that's what we, as believers, have in commen with Christ.
He took what is ours,
And gave us what is His,
We praise and glorify Him,
And exalt Him
The Friday Theotokeia
Luke 12:31
But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
everything include all the things u listed. well healing, doing wonderous things, or raising ppl from the dead are not any of what God has put to you.
But by first having faith in Him, and acting upon His words, you can do everything. even thoo you're already doing a great thing; preaching.
don't think that by acting as God says ur not preaching. people who see you act righteouslly would know that you are a good person and that God dwells in you. therefore they will come and ask you about this and that.
and that is a way of preaching just seek Him greatlly across prayer and many other things. Do your best at everything and He'll finish it for you. You can't know the will of God. that's why it's called the will of God, because He only knows it.
just seek Him greatlly across prayer and many other things. Do your best at everything and He'll finish it for you. You can't know the will of God. that's why it's called the will of God, because He only knows it.
Mina, great to hear from you!
You can't know its the will of God?? Only He knows it????
Come on ....
can anyone here second that?
(Thanks mina!)
Im just waiting now for Mina's response... he always has to respond to me... God bless him. I think he's obssessed even.
hmmmm, u better stop with all of this. i like to reply to the posts that i would know about and the easy ones to asnwer .OK!!!!!
and i am not obsessed. you're the one who always ask the weird questions i like to answer. actually i wasn't planning to asnwer this post, bas heia gat keda.
Ba2aa keda...
If what you said is true, then I'd be so amazed: we will never know God's will...??
How can that be ya Mina?? He told Noah what that He was going to cause a flood! He told Saint Mary she'd give birth... He told Elisabeth she'd give birth, He told Saint John the Beloved what to expect in the apocalypse...
How can He tell them His will, and not share with us whom we are meant to marry??
[quote author=minagir link=topic=5216.msg69897#msg69897 date=1176756138]
[quote author=vassilios link=topic=5216.msg69894#msg69894 date=1176755748]
Im just waiting now for Mina's response... he always has to respond to me... God bless him. I think he's obssessed even.
hmmmm, u better stop with all of this. i like to reply to the posts that i would know about and the easy ones to asnwer .OK!!!!!
and i am not obsessed. you're the one who always ask the weird questions i like to answer. actually i wasn't planning to asnwer this post, bas heia gat keda.
Lol. ya salam, this is an easy one to answer??
Ba2aa keda... first am talking about the things that we don't know and He doesn't tell us about.
Also about the incedent u listed above, that was His well to let them know. may be if He wouldn't of, they would of lost faith in Him. also about St. John's Reveletion, to me it's more of what st.John saw and heard from his surrounding not fully told by Jesus. but also it goes with God's plan untill the end of time, the Last Day.
now He can't tell you everything because that wont be just becasue it would be unfair becasue it might control your free will. even thoo to Adam and Eve, our orignal parents, He fully told them the future; 'If you eat, you will trully die.'
I hope that Iqbal is happy that the plans for this forum are producing what he hoped for - which is some good discussion on important topics; I know he came in for some criticism at the time, but I think we can all agree he and the other moderators were right.
Κηφᾶς directs us where we need to be. We pray 'Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven', and we have to accept that we cannot know His will on the small things in our lives; He really isn't going to tell us whether we should move to the USA, and we should not ask him for small things; we should trust in Him.
In the teachings of the Church and in His commandments and in the Scriptures, He has shown us His will on the big things; we would do well to try being obedient on those - that is more than enough for most of us.
His will is that we should repent and live a more Christian life; if we embrace this it is odd how the other things kind of fall into place.
In Christ,
John
Nice to hear from you.
Im glad u like my topics; i hope iqbal does too. What were the other moderators right about?
With all due respect, finding a wife (for example) is not a small thing. Finding a job or even career is not a small thing. What then should we pray for? All our needs are small things!
Praying for the "Kingdom of Heaven" 1st is what most people like to say. But, it doesnt remove the fact that whilst we are waiting and eagerly looking forward to crossing the heavenly finishing line, we have pay mortgages, find a career, a job, a wife, a car etc.. not necessarily in that order... but there are things to be done. Should we therefore NOT pray for these small things???
[quote author=Anglian link=topic=5216.msg69904#msg69904 date=1176757467]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I hope that Iqbal is happy that the plans for this forum are producing what he hoped for - which is some good discussion on important topics; I know he came in for some criticism at the time, but I think we can all agree he and the other moderators were right.
Κηφᾶς directs us where we need to be. We pray 'Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven', and we have to accept that we cannot know His will on the small things in our lives; He really isn't going to tell us whether we should move to the USA, and we should not ask him for small things; we should trust in Him.
In the teachings of the Church and in His commandments and in the Scriptures, He has shown us His will on the big things; we would do well to try being obedient on those - that is more than enough for most of us.
His will is that we should repent and live a more Christian life; if we embrace this it is odd how the other things kind of fall into place.
In Christ,
John
Praying for the "Kingdom of Heaven" 1st is what most people like to say. But, it doesnt remove the fact that whilst we are waiting and eagerly looking forward to crossing the heavenly finishing line, we have pay mortgages, find a career, a job, a wife, a car etc.. not necessarily in that order... but there are things to be done. Should we therefore NOT pray for these small things???
i think Anglian and Κηφᾶς gave you the answer that is in the Our Father prayer. also i listed this verse before
Luke 12:31
But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
He, by His well will add everything you would need while being here on earth. small or big, everything.
You make some good points (and what I was thinking was that the ideas of the moderators about refocusing the forum so that we could get more such points made, was an excellent one).
You are right that the choice of a wife is no small matter; even as the choice of a husband for her is no small matter either. This is a difficult one, and it is quite right to pray for guidance. In some cultures, where families play a major role in the choice of a partner, then there are other forms of guidance available; sometimes unwelcome, perhaps? But in the west we are free to make our own choices - and in the UK the divorce rate is about 50%; so we're not doing too well left to our own choice!
If we follow His laws, and live in the spirit of His Church, then we are more likely to find that in so doing, our choice of a marriage partner is 'guided' by His will. Not every man, or every woman, will be attracted to one who walks in His way; but those who are are likely to make a better marriage partner. If we work with Him, He can work through us.
Does that mean we can only marry another Orthodox Christian? No, the Church recognises that sometimes life brings us someone who is not in the Church, and it will allow us to marry. That can, of course, be the beginning of the road to the Church for one's wife or husband - if we live our faith it can be surprising the effect it has on our partner. Is it better if we marry another Orthodox Christian? Of course, there will be fewer problems.
But whatever we do in that respect, we need to take into account how God wishes us to behave. If we respect and honour our husband or wife, and if we treat them as we ourselves would wish to be treated, we will find that the marriage will work much better.
Our Lord knows His creation, and if we follow His advice we shall not go wrong; it is just that we keep thinking we know best!
What we should beware of doing is looking for 'signs', or saying things like 'well, if x happens then God wants me to do it'; that comes close to reading the omens, which the Church rightly frowns upon.
If in doubt, ask friends and one's priest - and, of course, in perplexity, always pray for guidance. But it is His will - not our own.
In Christ,
John