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I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/19/2008 7:05:47 PM
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CarlaJames
Posts: 36
Joined: 5/30/2005
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See..my father is very ill. I find myself thinking that praying for his health is a waste of time. I keep thinking....."What's the point? God isn't going to change his mind and let my dad live just cuz I ask him to. God already knows what he's going to do."
It's not that I don't have faith in that God can do anything. It's just I don't think He wants to do it. This really makes me feel quilty.
How can I get passed this?
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/19/2008 7:28:09 PM
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mvic
Posts: 1349
Joined: 1/17/2008
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Hi,
I'm very sorry that your father is ill; and I shall pray for him.
You ask: how can I get passed this?
You can't - not if you don't want to.
No one really knows why God sometimes answers prayers and sometimes He doesn't. Perhaps we're not meant to know. So what are we to do?
Stop praying? Stop believing in Him? Stop loving Him?
Will that change God? Of course not. He will still be there. He will still love us unconditionally. And like any parent, He will be disappointed at our tantrums.
Of course, you are hurt right now - hence the tone of your post. You are concerned for your father. That is natural and loving from you. So why not tell God exactly how you feel. Tell Him you love your father. Tell Him that you believe He can help your father if He wants to, yet somehow you feel He will not. Then tell Him that you will accept His will, whatever it is for your father's future well-being.
Be honest with Him, as you have been with us. If it is His will, He will heal your father. But please don't turn your back on God. Would your father want you to do this? If you were the one who is ill; would you want your son or daughter to turn their back on Him because of you?
God bless.
_____________________________
Christian words of comfort at http://www.holyvisions.co.uk
Welcome to my Blog
MEI VITA INDICO CHRISTUS
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/19/2008 8:00:39 PM
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saving-grace
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Joined: 7/18/2008
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CarlaJames,
I am sorry for what you are going through right now. Just want to send some encouragement your way. I don’t have an answer but I hope this helps a little. Know that my prayers are with you.
“I find myself thinking that praying for his health is a waste of time. I keep thinking....."What's the point? God isn't going to change his mind and let my dad live just cuz I ask him to. God already knows what he's going to do”
Can I just tell you that prayer is never a waste of time! This is the deception of the enemy which he is so good at. If he can get you discouraged with God to where you stop praying, you are going to lack the strength that God wants to give you to get through this situation.
We have God's promise that our prayers are not in vain, even if we don't receive specifically what we asked for.
Matthew 6:6 - "Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. (The Msg);
Romans 8:26-27 - Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God.(The Msg)).
Sometimes He delays His answers according to His wisdom and for our benefit. I pray that you will stay diligent and persistent in your prayers. Prayer should not be seen as our means of getting God to do our will on earth, but rather as a means of getting God's will done on earth. He knows what we need before we even ask for it - and He knows what is best for us as well.
Praying....
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/19/2008 8:16:13 PM
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PrexicKehdaki
Posts: 190
Joined: 6/26/2008
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: CarlaJames
See..my father is very ill. I find myself thinking that praying for his health is a waste of time. I keep thinking....."What's the point? God isn't going to change his mind and let my dad live just cuz I ask him to. God already knows what he's going to do."
It's not that I don't have faith in that God can do anything. It's just I don't think He wants to do it. This really makes me feel quilty.
How can I get passed this?
Let's say..
God knows whether or not you're going to drown after being tossed to sea. You can decide.. "I cannot interfere with God's plan" and you stop swimming and drown. If this happens, God knew it would happen. Or, you can decide.. "It is God's plan that I DO swim and he will send help for me." In which case, if this happens, God knew it would happen.
Now apply that to your situation. Isn't it possible that you praying and God answering is PART of God's plan? You decide if that's a possibility by praying or not.
Hope that helps.
If any actual Christians don't think this answer is Christian-like.. I apologize.
_____________________________
Know of a Religion Debate Site?
Let me know on this thread.
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/19/2008 10:31:38 PM
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4IMPersuaded
Posts: 424
Joined: 11/17/2007
From: Florence, KY
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Oh, CarlaJames-- I am so sorry to hear of your pain. This must be an excruciating time for you and your family. I must admit that I have struggled through similar issues with healing because I work in the healthcare field and I have seen over 15 years what the expected course of a disease looks like-- more often than not, it is not interrupted by God's intervention.
Here's what I have learned, though. God is not bound by your beleif or unblelief. He will act according to His will. Remember the father who brought his ailing son to Jesus? Jesus asked the father if he believed and the father answered, "I do beleive, help my unbelief!" Oh, how I relate to this father! I want to believe, but sometimes I do doubt-- that's okay. Confess your unbelief and God will help heal you! It is not his wish that you suffer. God doesn't do majic-- you don't have to say the right words with the right hand gestures in order for Him to do your bidding. Your belief is for your benefit, not God's.
Also, He absolutely DOES respond based upon our prayers. In Isaiah, King Hezzekiah became ill and was on his deathbed. He pled with God for more time and God healed him-- added 15 years to his life. Remember Abraham on the hill above Soddom and Gamorrah? God would have spared the cities for the lives of 5 righteous men simply because Abraham asked!
This may or may not be the case with your Dad. The important thing is that you have the conversation with God-- the prayer, the fellowship. You must keep that lifeline open so that you can continue to feel His presence regardless of the answer to your prayer.
Bless you in this time.
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/19/2008 11:12:42 PM
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19ramman85
Posts: 76
Joined: 4/10/2008
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I know almost all too well what you are going thru -but there is hope!
First- always remember that God operates on his own time - not ours. Why he does it that why- I havent a clue. Maybe to test our resolve, or maybe it - "just isn't time yet", in his eyes - who knows
Do what I did in my case, and just pray for your dad, and let the Lord handle it, and ask Him to help strengthen you during your storm.
In my case - my dad died about two months ago, due to complications from a stroke, and a few other maladies. He also wasn't a Christian, by any stretch of the imagination. But I knew that my dad also didn't want to suffer, so I prayed to God to forgive him and heal him- one way or the other. Yeah, I know that sounds kinda morbid- but my dad had suffered for quite a long time - and I knew he didn't want to suffer any more than necessary.
And about a month after Iprayed (almost vigilanty) - my dad finally passed away. Healed at last by the hand of God - as far as I can figure anyways.
So quit feeling guilty about - We forgive ya, so God does!  And get busy praying to God for your dad to be healed, and lean on the Lord- always!
-charles
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/20/2008 12:11:42 AM
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BibleL7
Posts: 493
Joined: 2/1/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: CarlaJames
See..my father is very ill. I find myself thinking that praying for his health is a waste of time. I keep thinking....."What's the point? God isn't going to change his mind and let my dad live just cuz I ask him to. God already knows what he's going to do."
It's not that I don't have faith in that God can do anything. It's just I don't think He wants to do it. This really makes me feel quilty.
How can I get passed this?
Well God does already know yet you really dont. Pray for your fathers health and add "not my will but Your will be done." The prayer is not a waste of time and you realize how it could be answered with healing or total healing in your fathers going to be with the Lord it is answered in His will and prayed in His will and no need for you to feel guilty. God loves you and your father and knows what is best. Also pray that the Lord give you strength in this time. I am sure all believers who have read your thread are also praying for you both.
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/20/2008 3:51:18 AM
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Ezra
Posts: 1784
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: CarlaJames
See..my father is very ill. I find myself thinking that praying for his health is a waste of time. I keep thinking....."What's the point? God isn't going to change his mind and let my dad live just cuz I ask him to. God already knows what he's going to do."
It's not that I don't have faith in that God can do anything. It's just I don't think He wants to do it. This really makes me feel quilty.
How can I get passed this?
Carla:
I'm sorry to hear about your father's illness and your sense of hopelessness. But the Bible does record instances where God "changed His mind" in answer to prayer. Whether or not He planned all along for a different outcome should not concern us. From our standpoint, God does change His mind.
Hezekiah's sickness unto death Read Isaiah 38. King Hezekiah was first told by God through the prophet to set his house in order because he would die. But Hezekiah prayed earnestly for God to "remember him" and how he had served the Lord. As a result God added fifteen years to his life!
The widow of Nain's son Read Luke 7:11-18. This widow's son had already died and was being carried out to be buried. But Christ had compassion on this woman and raised him from the dead.
The Syrophenician woman's daughter Read Mark 7:24-30 and Matthew 15:21-28. At first Christ would not respond to this woman, but because of her persistence and faith, He cast the demon out of her daughter.
These are three clear instances where God "changed His mind" if you will. Since God always knows the end from the beginning, it may have appeared that way, but there is no reason why you cannot go to Him and ask for your father to be healed.
FOR ALL YOU KNOW, THIS IS MEANT TO BE A TEST OF YOUR FAITH.
_____________________________
And whosoever will, let him take the Water of Life freely. Revelation 22:17
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RE: I know I can't change God's mind..... - 7/21/2008 5:05:22 AM
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johnsmith008756
Posts: 1
Joined: 7/21/2008
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In a nut shell, yes He Can. The GOD of the Bible certainly did. For instance, He initially Prohibited the Jews from working on Saturday (the Sabbath), but later Changed His Position and allowed the Christians to work at anytime. Also, in circumcision, the Bible's Old Testament clearly allows it. Parts of the New Testament also allow it. Jesus had no problem with the Jews circumcising a boy during his ministry. Jesus himself was circumcised when he was born.
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johnsmith
Addiction Recovery North Dakota
Addiction Recovery North Dakota
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