What is God doing in your life?

[BoylenOver]

Both on a day-to-day and long-term basis.

If you can remember, what is different about your life with God compared to without God? How often do you stop and take stock of your daily blessings?

I'm working on returning to my Baptist/Christian roots, and part of that is learning to recognize God and think about Him over the course of each day. I'd love to hear from y'all.

[TripletDaddy]

BoylenOver, thanks for posting this. What a strange coincidence.

My nubile home teacher issued a challenge to us on Sunday and it has been bouncing around in my dome this week. He mentioned that he tried to identify at least one thing God has done for him each day, even if it is a small tiny thing. He said soon it led to a greater ability to recognize blessings in our lives.

Of course this is not the first time I had heard this concept. We have a hymn dedicated entirely to the practice of counting our blessings.

However, this kids words have been with me all week. And now you start this thread. I think someone is trying to tell me something.....I think it is time to get a cheesesteak at DP for lunch. (Also, it may be time to take stock of blessings.)

[YOhio]

[YOUTUBE]V_IrdS-zu48[/YOUTUBE]

[Clark Addison]

BoylenOver, thanks for posting this. What a strange coincidence.

My nubile home teacher issued a challenge to us on Sunday and it has been bouncing around in my dome this week. He mentioned that he tried to identify at least one thing God has done for him each day, even if it is a small tiny thing. He said soon it led to a greater ability to recognize blessings in our lives.

Of course this is not the first time I had heard this concept. We have a hymn dedicated entirely to the practice of counting our blessings.

However, this kids words have been with me all week. And now you start this thread. I think someone is trying to tell me something.....I think it is time to get a cheesesteak at DP for lunch. (Also, it may be time to take stock of blessings.)

[shoganai]

Both on a day-to-day and long-term basis.

If you can remember, what is different about your life with God compared to without God? How often do you stop and take stock of your daily blessings?

I'm working on returning to my Baptist/Christian roots, and part of that is learning to recognize God and think about Him over the course of each day. I'd love to hear from y'all.

One challenge I've often run into with this approach is the impossible task of directly connecting certain positive things in life to interaction by God. Is XYZ event really a "blessing?" Or just good fortune? The debate becomes even more muddled when I face challenges and disappointments.

Of course the typical Christian way of dealing with this is to throw out the blanket, "all good things come from God," doctrine. But, I personally don't find that very productive.

What I have found productive is to consider the reverse question. Not, "What has God done for me?" but "What have I done because of my faith in God?" I have found that considering how my faith has affected choices, actions, and attitudes is much more objective and quantifiable. I've also found that it makes it much easier for me to connect God to specific things in life I enjoy, because I can see how an absence of faith in the choices I've made could have led me to another path where I wouldn't have certain things I value so much now.

I realize there's a bit of circular logic in that, but that's an unavoidable by-product of faith in most cases.

[BoylenOver]

One challenge I've often run into with this approach is the impossible task of directly connecting certain positive things in life to interaction by God. Is XYZ event really a "blessing?" Or just good fortune? The debate becomes even more muddled when I face challenges and disappointments.

Of course the typical Christian way of dealing with this is to throw out the blanket, "all good things come from God," doctrine. But, I personally don't find that very productive.

What I have found productive is to consider the reverse question. Not, "What has God done for me?" but "What have I done because of my faith in God?" I have found that considering how my faith has affected choices, actions, and attitudes is much more objective and quantifiable. I've also found that it makes it much easier for me to connect God to specific things in life I enjoy, because I can see how an absence of faith in the choices I've made could have led me to another path where I wouldn't have certain things I value so much now.

I realize there's a bit of circular logic in that, but that's an unavoidable by-product of faith in most cases.

But what if the action you're taking because of your faith is to assign divinity to seemingly random/fortunate occurrences? I understand what you're saying, but one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith is "God is in control". He's not passive in our lives, and He likes to take care of us, both in the small and big things.

[ERCougar]

But what if the action you're taking because of your faith is to assign divinity to seemingly random/fortunate occurrences? I understand what you're saying, but one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith is "God is in control". He's not passive in our lives, and He likes to take care of us, both in the small and big things.

That's not one of the cornerstones of my faith. Not saying that I'm right, just that I think there's quite of a bit of latitude with that, while still maintaining some faith.

[creekster]

I have never really thought about God being in or out of my life. I dont think he is a fickle parent. I think he ios always there. The more difficult quesiton is do I recognize it and what is it He does? I tend to a deist view.

[Eddie]

Yesterday I took a long drive in my old car. Before leaving home, I decided to check the coolant and oil levels. They were good. I've had some leakage and problems with both. Then I prayed I'd make it out and back again in this tin can. (Yes - I just need to replace the dang car, but haven't done that yet.)

About 40 miles into my drive the temperature gauge shot up. My car was red-lining, right then. I pulled over, expecting to see steam coming out from under the hood. Nothing.

I went and popped the hood. Where there should've been a radiator cap, there was none. Radiator was empty. I don't know if I never replaced the cap after checking it earlier, or if I just didn't get it on right. It was 15 degrees out - so the underside of the hood was covered with frozen coolant.

"Luckily" I had some coolant in the trunk. And "luckily" as I looked inside the engine compartment I found the radiator cap sitting on a narrow piece of plastic inches from falling through to the road.

I like to think that God helped me survive my own stupidity to a certain degree. So that's what He did for me.

There have been times I haven't been as blessed and I've suffered for my stupidity. I suppose there are times when I need to learn certain lessons, and other times that I need to learn other lessons. And what I need to a degree determines His response. I'm glad that yesterday I needed to learn that someone cares and was looking out for me.

[RC Vikings]

I'm not sure how involved God is right now in my life and I think the problem is with me and not him. I either forget to ask or think I can do it on my own and sure enough it often feels like God lets me go it alone. I wonder if he gets tired of me only asking for help when I've run out of other options when he should be my first thought.

[wuapinmon]

Not, "What has God done for me?" but "What have I done because of my faith in God?" I have found that considering how my faith has affected choices, actions, and attitudes is much more objective and quantifiable. I've also found that it makes it much easier for me to connect God to specific things in life I enjoy, because I can see how an absence of faith in the choices I've made could have led me to another path where I wouldn't have certain things I value so much now.

Wow, when I read his question, as a convert, I was about to write out almost EXACTLY what I bolded.

BO, my life before the Gospel was not good. Yours sounds like it is decent and fun, but you're examining your spirituality because you might feel like there's something more out there. My family needed religion to make us realize the sad state of our relationships, and how much of our behavior, that I've detailed in other threads, was not ethical, moral, or even civil. Religion gave us a basis of being Christlike, God is/as Love, that helped ground us in correcting our behavior.

My life since then has been a steady stream of me becoming more and more Christlike, but feeling further and further away from what I would consider a feeling of closeness with God. I feel the Spirit the most when I do something sinful, because the absence leaves me feeling hollow. I'm not very Christlike, but I'm a lot more than I was when I started, and as His example was one of pure love, then it's a good model to follow. Throw in some Aristotle for a secular backing of ethics, coupled with Christian morals, and you've got a good mix for living the Socratic Good Life.

http://faculty.frostburg.edu/phil/forum/SocratesLife.htm

What was ultimately most important about Socrates' inquiries was, indeed, the unceasing practice and habit of being critical and thoughtful--of not being blind to one's own unfounded convictions and presuppositions. Thoughtfulness and critical self-awareness as a way of life is what Socrates stands for. That is why he adopted “Know thyself” as the main maxim for his life, and why his best known pronouncement is "the unexamined life is not worth living." Life, according to him, is not something that is just to be lived--lived by following blindly and headlong primal instincts, popular convictions, or time-honored customs. The good life is a life that questions and thinks about things; it is a life of contemplation, self-examination, and open-minded wondering. The good life is thus an inner life—the life of an inquiring and ever expanding mind.

I guess my point is is that I feel a closeness to God when I do for others, and when I try out the whole "What Would Jesus Do?" idea.

[Indy Coug]

Based on recent circumstances that I'm not sure I'm entirely willing to share in a public forum right now, I believe God is doing quite a bit in my life. Is that level of involvement a constant that doesn't wax and wane with perceived need? I really don't know, but I do know that it exists and that I happened to recognize that involvement due to my recent hour of need.

[KillerDog]

Direct impact felt just this week. My three year old has always had nightmares that are very realistic to him. 3-5 times a week he wakes up in a panic because of the nightmare. Usually this happens within an hour or two of going to bed. We have been unable to help him deal with this until this week. I have recently added a nightly prayer as a part of his bedtime routine and he has prayed "God, help me so the nightmares will go away and I won't be scared." It has worked. He is sleeping better than ever.

[byu71]

My philosophy right now is that he has provided the conditions, teachings and environment to bring about all the good things that happen in my life.

I would have a very hard time every day coming up with something "he" did for me that day. On the other hand I am extremely greatful for the things he has done and how it blesses my life.

So maybe we would be doing the same thing. For instance, I am greatful for the friends he provided on CUF, but I don't think he forced them to become my friend.

[shoganai]

I'm not sure how involved God is right now in my life and I think the problem is with me and not him. I either forget to ask or think I can do it on my own and sure enough it often feels like God lets me go it alone. I wonder if he gets tired of me only asking for help when I've run out of other options when he should be my first thought.

Does the level of God's involvement in our lives change in proportion to our faithfulness? And to what extent?

I bring this up because I think it's an interesting debate, and I definitely don't have any good answers. Yes, I know all the standard Sunday school answers, of which I'm sure this board could provide many. But do any of us really know?