What God May Really Be Like – Misbeliefs About God

The God Of The Bible Doesn’t Condemn Homosexual Love!

The Bible is frequently used to condemn homosexual love (i.e. Rom. 1:26-32, I Cor. 6:9-11). The Apostle Paul, who wrote a great deal of the New Testament, possibly authored these two books. These passages couldn’t possibly be talking about committed love between two people regardless of their gender. Paul accuses readers of having no fidelity, no love (Rom. 1: 31). The homosexual actions condemned are compared to adulterous or prostituting behaviors (I Cor. 6:9).

God and the Bible don’t condemn committed love and concern for others.

Paul was referring to sexually behaviors which were only for the purpose of satisfying one’s own pleasures at the expense of others. It is likely Paul was referring to sexual practices that were common in his day. Masters often were involved in sexual acts with their slaves; men were having sex with younger boys. Paul was condemning abusive, unequal, controlling sexual behaviors which are immoral to most rational human beings.

I do think a loving God would advise against uncommitted love which can lead to people getting hurt. Who doesn’t know adultery is wrong. But, I do not make it my practice to seek out those who engage in casual sex between consensual adults. Some women give sex for pay to feed their children. I imagine if they felt they had other options they wouldn’t make such choices. I may do the same if in their shoes. I am convinced the kind of love we were created for is where each partner is equally committed to one another for the long haul, both in good and bad times. Few get married not hoping the marriage lasts for a lifetime.

But, for the sake of argument let’s say one believes that the Bible condemns faithful homosexual love. How should a Bible believer still act? 

If one reads the passages I have cited, they will notice that whatever sexual immoral acts are condemned are compared with greed. In other words the writer equally condemns sexual immoral people and greedy people. You hear a lot more sermons and condemnation on homosexuality than you will ever hear on greed.

If one uses the Bible to condemn all homosexual behaviors, they must use the same Bible to condemn greedy behaviors. I dare to say there is no one, who has enough money to feed their family and buys one extra item for pleasure, that isn’t greedy. This would include having a TV, buying desert, or anything that doesn’t go toward what is necessary to feed one’s family. The same Bible commends those who have extra and don’t share with those in need (Acts 4:32-25). Few if any of us practice such behaviors in our own land must less with those in other lands. It seems to me before one can condemn homosexuality they must first stop all acts of greed.

Church folks condemn gay relationships but they get divorced half the time. One best examine their own life before condemning gay couples who are committed.

Who doesn’t know that any sexual behaviors that are mindless, selfish, uncommitted engagements, as opposed to consensual monogamous relationships, are wrong! We should take a stand against behaviors that are harming others. I am convinced the Bible would suggest taking the less judgmental stance in relationships between consenting adults. Let God guide people in their personal sexual choices. I have a hunch polygamy in the OT wasn’t the Creator’s idea, but God understands personal decision are best freely chosen with guidance from one’s Creator if so desired.

How Do You Describe A Relationship With An Invisible God?

I often write about a relationship with God but it is not easy to describe a relationship with an invisible Deity as one might explain the value of a relationship with a friend. The only terms we have to describe a relationship with God is those we are familiar with such as a friend or marriage partner as Jesus in the Bible is described. God isn’t human of course but we may get close to describing such a relationship when we think of what a relationship with a perfect friend is like. The Bible doesn’t hesitate to describe God as a friend (Jn. 15:15, Jam. 2:23).

A relationship with God is often described as what God will do for us in the future.

If we say the right words or confess our sins then God will save us from Hell in the future. Actually, the Bible doesn’t speak of a relationship with God in these terms. Jesus, who represented God on earth, didn’t focus on future advantages but current advantages of a relationship with God in a troubled world. God simply wishes to help us cope and freely become the person we desire.

God surely epitomizes what a perfect friend would be like.

How would you describe such a friend or marriage partner? In my mind the perfect friend listens without any hidden agenda to control your decisions, as controlling love isn’t genuine. You don’t have to sugarcoat your feelings with a great friend, so you can openly work toward changes most likely to last. Great friends aren’t afraid to take risks and communicate when the friendship feels one-sided. This is the kind of friendship our Creator desires to have with us.

A relationship with God has many influential advantages.

I didn’t always have the greatest example of marriage and parenting growing up. God’s uncontrolling love toward me has influenced me to resist controlling my partner or older children, regardless whether I think I know what is best. This has led to relationships worth having. God doesn’t even control moral decisions that are so against God’s nature. Freely chosen than forced decisions allow lasting relationships worth having.

The best kinds of relationships, spiritual or human, seek to love and trust one another. Partners who attempt to out-serve the other have good marriages. This is only possible when both are committed to treating one another as best friends should. I must admit though a relationship with God isn’t exactly the same as human relationships. Betrayal might cost one a human relationship; whereas, I am convinced God isn’t going to give up on us. You can’t have a real relationship until you decide to enter a trusting relationship, but God is unimaginable patient and forgiving as are loving parents who will wait forever.

It is easier for some than others to have a relationship with an invisible Deity.

I was told God was real growing up and for whatever reason I never rejected that. I can assure you it has nothing to moral superiority. For others God is not afraid to fight to prove themselves. You don’t see how a loving God can condemn marriage between two committed people regardless of their gender. God doesn’t. God isn’t angry all the time. In the Bible God’s anger is the same as your anger against evildoers who deny others the freedom of personal beliefs.

Personally, I don’t feel judged by God if I fail, I am constantly challenged, motivated, encouraged to be more the person I desire to be.

If you have an inkling that there may be a God who desires a friendship, considering taking a leap of trust. If you are unconvinced there is such a Being as a loving, perfect God who desires to be the perfect friend, debate with a supposed God all you want. If God exist surely God can prove if they are the kind of friend you imagine would be true of a loving God.

What Does God Really Say About Getting Eternal Life?

Is God’s message really no different than religious extremists who make promises for the future with deadly consequences if you don’t buy in?

The Greek words “aionios zoen” when translated as “eternal life” doesn’t always best convey what God wants us to know about life.  We commonly think that the Bible speaks of “aionios” life in future rather than present terms and unfortunately often in threatening terms. “Aionios” translated as eternal may convey something very different than intended by the writer.

When the Bible talks about “aionios” life in the New Testament, the focus isn’t on some destination in the future but life in the present.

The Greek word “aionios” is used in the present tense (Jn. 3:36, 5:24, 6:47). In other words Scriptures speaks of having life. How can one have something now while living, if such life was meant to convey what we can have in the future after death? The Apostle Paul compares death with words translated as eternal life: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal/aionios life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rm. 6:23). Paul though speaks of still living though put to death by sin (Rm. 7:11). The life being referred to is about currently being dead or alive spiritually.

The Bible speaks more how to pursue a quality not quantity of life. 

A possible literal translation of the word eternal from the Greek is age-enduring, so how does one have an age-enduring life worth living? What kind of life will we look back and be glad we strived for such a life? When Jesus was asked directly about having age-enduring life, Jesus simply encouraged loving God and your neighbor in the present (Lk.10:25-28). I can assure you Jesus wasn’t advising criteria to get into Heaven for then Heaven is going to be vacant.

I am convinced God wants to encourage pursuing a life worth living now as opposed to the future and threatening consequences if you don’t believe what you are supposed to.

We know not loving your neighbor as you want to be loved has its own consequences – a legacy of regrets. Jesus also suggested loving God because certain relationships help one to feel secure and inspired. God gives refuge and hope to those who feel hopeless that their life can be of any value due to all the pain they have inflicted on others. Others may not be able to forgive you but your Creator can and will. Some may feel too insignificant to make a difference. God sees the world one individual at a time and believes you have something to offer. God looks out for those most in need.

You may not feel as hopeless.

Maybe no one will read this Post, but I live life only to influence who I can. Even if not overwhelmed with guilt, from time to time we need to know God isn’t always judging but in our corner. We need to be encouraged from time to time when others don’t meet our expectations. Our role-models don’t always live out or give the best advice how to be a better parent, partner, or friend. I need a God who guidance isn’t tainted by their selfishness. It can be comforting to know that when you die there is a better place or that you can be reunited with your loved ones, but God wanted us to know: “….I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest” (Jn. 10.10).

God, Some Evils Serve Absolutely No Good Purpose But Do More Harm?

The problem of evil is a main reason some don’t believe in or have a connection with God. If a God is powerful enough to create, surely God could stop at least some evils that obviously serve no good purpose. Some sufferings lead to good. A surgeon may have to break open your chest to save your life. But, what purposes are served when a child is rape or when a dictator tortures and kills millions? Why doesn’t God like any good parent prevent such evils if they can?

Some appeal to mystery when trying to explain why God’s ways are not always moral in our eyes.

By declaring God ways are not our ways, how can we have a relationship with a God we can’t understand with the brain they gave us? If God calls favoritism evil but plays favorites, this plain and simple makes a supposedly loving God evil.

It is suggested God has a reason for everything to protect certain views of God’s power, but there are no good reasons for many evils.

The majority of evil results from the freedom to be kind or cruel toward others and not in the mysterious purposes of God. It may be that God creating freedom necessitated one being able to do as much harm as they could do good. There is not some divine or “greater purpose” in the suffering of innocent people. Freedom, not suffering, was only necessary in God’s eyes.

One byproduct of freedom is that evil can be pointless. 

Not all evil makes the world a better place for some. Thinking God is behind every evil, we go searching for the lesson that God is supposedly trying to teach us, but God leaves us clueless what the lesson is. Does that sound like a loving God? God’s love cannot always be controlling because of freedom. If God could have created freedom and always gotten their way, surely God would have exercised such control.

It is true that some personal tragedies lead to helping others who have the same experience in an imperfect world, but many abuses for example only become generational. God’s ways aren’t mysterious but we may not fully understand all the factors involved that God can see and know. It is believed the flap of a butterfly wing in one part of the world can influence weather in another part of the world at some time in the future. God may be able to perform miracles and answer prayers sometimes without compromising all the factors involved in the gift of freedom, which is necessary for authentic relationships.

We often put our trust in some things we don’t fully understand.

I only fly because I have enough trust in the collective intelligence of those who believe in planes. Is it possible that there are rational, moral explanations for how a good and perfect God cannot intervene in so much evil in the world? Do you have enough trust to think God may prevent all the evil possible when not compromising freedom? Are there explanations as to why God’s love often must be influential but not coercive to remain moral? You don’t have to be free of doubts and questions but are you convinced enough to trust God can explain one day to your satisfaction?

Does God Control Everything? Is There Really A Reason For Everything?

When one says “there is a reason for everything,” we can create a lot of anger and confusion toward God. God isn’t the reason for everything that happens. The majority of suffering results from the freedom to be kind or cruel and lawless toward others. To suggest God controls everything suggests God is responsible for all of suffering in the world. God did not create or desire suffering for some supposed “greater purpose.”

Evil is located in the free will of creatures and not in the mysterious purposes of God.

God’s love cannot always control because of freedom, thus God cannot guarantee we will never experience suffering at the hands of others. We often assume God has a reason for everything, but there are no good reasons for evil. There is no elaborate plan for evil by God others than having created freedom with the constraints that puts on God. If God could have created freedom without allowing the possibility of evil, God would have exercised such control. Freedom, not suffering, was only necessary in God’s eyes.

If we believe God controls everything, we end up blaming ourselves or God.

We assume if only we had enough faith or lived a better life, we wouldn’t be in this predicament because God surely doesn’t want us to suffer. We may accept that God created freedom for the hope of authentic relationships, but we then assume God isn’t intervening for some reason. Thinking God is behind all suffering, we may wonder if God is punishing us for having done something wrong in our life. Or, we go searching for the lesson that God is supposedly trying to teach us, but God leaves us clueless what the lesson is. Does that sound like a loving God?

Two men living together leave drunk from a bar and drive home separately. They both blow the same BAC. One man kills a family in an automobile accident and the other man makes it home without causing an accident. Both men are guilty for endangering the lives of others, but why were some killed and not others? We can’t know all the factors involved such as why different routes were taken by each man and why others left their house when they did putting them at the wrong place at the exact time of the accident. Is this really something God wanted or planned or is this something that happened as a result of freedom?

Insisting God is in control is neither logical if freedom truly exists nor our experience.

If God controlled everything there would be no need to protect ourselves or there is nothing we really can do to change our circumstances. I am convinced it is best to not assume God’s causes or has any good reason for many sufferings in our life, but that God will support us in such times and work to bring good from tragedy if we have such desires. Do you want to think God caused your sickness for a reason or that God doesn’t want you sick? Don’t blame God or yourself.

Divine love limits divine power.

God can’t force true love in relationships; true love can’t always be controlling. God surely prevents all the evil possible without compromising one’s freedom. We cannot know the balance necessary by God for every human being to not make their gift of freedom a farce. We do know that God never wants us to suffer undeservingly and God always wants to answer prayer, but God has constraints because of freedom. God will always work to bring good from our suffering if we seek God’s support and comfort. God can’t always intervene but God can fulfill a promise of providing life after death where suffering will be defeated.

Can We Stop Using The Word “Sinner” For All!

When we talk about God and the Bible some words more commonly used two thousand years ago just don’t translate. Our relationship with our Creator is often described as sinner and the Almighty. You don’t expect to have a relationship with anyone when using such non-personal terms to describe the friendship. Does God really only care about protecting their own character for egotistical reasons when finding our behaviors offensive?

Referring to all people as sinners suggests God is only worried about their own reputation. 

Is this really the kind of Parent God is? Loving parents, when a child does something wrong, don’t care only how they are hurt. Sin is sin because it hurts the sinner and those they are in relationships with. That is why it hurts God. God wants nothing more than a relationship so we might consider how we are hurting ourselves and others. Loving parents care less about how their child’s actions make them look as much as the pain for the child resulting from not following their guidance.

We know who the real sinners are.

 God’s anger isn’t against those who understand self-centeredness is wrong. Some people in the Bible sacrificed their children to appease their supposed gods. Some people in the Bible didn’t care who they hurt in their lust for power or pleasure. Such people are evildoers or sinners if you prefer. Such people need to fear the wrath of all until accepting that the world doesn’t revolve around them.

I don’t want to replace sinners with mistakers.

We sometimes don’t intentionally mean for our words to hurt others. I may write something that deeply offends someone. I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to offend them individually in person. I struggle to say I am sorry when my words unintentionally hurt others but maybe I need to get over it. Then, some know what they are doing is hurting others. Such actions aren’t mistakes. Those are willful. We refuse help to avoid change. God never gives up on us but those aren’t mistakes.

So, how do we refer to those who aren’t evil but are hurting themselves and others they have relationships with? 

I am not sure but let’s save the label sinners for evildoers. Does God really refer to us as sinners under their breathe when we regret our actions, when we struggle to change habitual patterns that are not in our best interest? God isn’t interested in condemning you. God simply wants to come along aside and support and encourage you to consider if God’s guidance is in your best interests.

What Is The #1 Advantage Of Being A Spiritual Person?

I wrote on this topic recently but I want to emphasize what may be the greatest advantage of being a God-follower. My hunch is that readers are good people. You don’t beat your wife, children, or dog. You may be more unselfish than selfish. You may even be more of moral person than me though I think about spiritual stuff all the time. But, abiding by the Law is expected. If you are on the fence being a God-follower, or seeking to be more spiritual though unclear about this God thing, let me suggest one extreme advantage of being such a person.  

The greatest advantage of being a spiritual/God-follower is knowing and being secure with that good enough isn’t good enough.  

Kids don’t always respond to our love. If only they know what kind of parents you had. Every wonder why your partner doesn’t seem to let stuff slide off their back, that is inevitable in a 24/7 relationship, like you do? Why aren’t your friends as interested in your life by asking the questions you ask them? Every wonder why your co-workers or boss don’t show you the same respect you try to show to them?  

My wife is the kind of friend I want to be toward my friends. More than half of the time our problems are on me, but she isn’t perfect you know! I am not motivated to be as good as some other husbands; I want to be the husband I have always wanted to be despite the circumstances. I may call her out on behaviors that hurt, but I never forget how often I have failed her. God-followers are so influenced by their Creator’s perfect love for them that they are focused on showing the same boundless love toward others.  

Spiritual people don’t have to just stuff their feelings away and pretend their kids, partner, friends, or co-workers actions don’t hurt them.

At the appropriate time take risks to share what you want in a relationship before having to walk away. It isn’t always wise to put ourselves in harm’s way by the way certain people act. If we are honest though, in many relationships we too don’t always act as loving as we think we should. People need patience or second changes or many relationships will never last.

How does one continually pursue this almost supernatural striving to be perfect rather than just being good enough?  

Good parenting doesn’t always produce good citizens, but loving parents can increase the odds. Parents never forget what they wish their parents had done differently; they know they don’t get to live their lives through their children. They already had a chance to grow up. Some kids seek to please their parents for healthy reasons. They have a good amount of respect for their parents and trust they always have their best interest in mind. Because of such a relationship they don’t want to disappoint. Loving relationships inspire loving people.  

God seeks to be the same kind of inspiring Parent.

God doesn’t seek adoration for ego reasons. God seeks our love and respect to provide comfort and security and empowerment to love others to the fullest despite the circumstances. God is no different than a selfless, uncontrolling parent who we come to trust always has our best interest in mind. God’s love is the perfect parental love we have always desired. God doesn’t have a controlling bone in their body.

God-followers seek to be world changers by striving to be the most loving person we can be. We don’t always assume excusing others’ behaviors is the most loving behavior. But, we can save many relationships because we aren’t focused on being as good as the other person or demanding others treat us perfectly or else! Personal failures don’t stop us, because our relationship with God entails mercy and patience. Spiritual people realize sometimes they may act like those they accuse.

Oh sure, we are good 85% of the time but is that who you want to be?

Certain Explanations Of Jesus’ Death Don’t Impact Our Relationship With God!

You may not even know who the heck Jesus is or even care. Please don’t use that as an excuse to not be more spiritual minded in striving to become more the person you desire to be. I don’t know many people who don’t wish that were kinder and more encouraging, that they didn’t always respond to their partner negatively just because the partner did. We all though may need a source for encouragement so such behaviors become more action than talk.

We often say Jesus died for our sins on the Cross but draw blank or irrelevant looks. Jesus never said this was His purpose for living or dying. 

We are told we must accept Jesus’ resurrection, but we have to rely on 2000 year old historical evidence because we weren’t there to possibly witness a man coming back from the dead. Heck, Jesus was performing amazing miracles and claiming to come down from Heaven but even His family and closest friends had doubts. They weren’t especially moved by Jesus and they walked with Him daily.

In the disciples defense they changed over time. My point is to not defend if Jesus truly came back from the dead, but something happened. Keep in mind no other religious leader has dared claim to come back from the dead. Suddenly, Jesus’ disciples were willing to be beaten, persecuted, and suffer a martyr’s death without renouncing their conviction that they had seen Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Some people will give their life for what they believe may be true in the future, but who gives their life for what they know is a lie?

It is understandable that it is difficult to relate to a God who according to tradition is portrayed as a blood-thirsty God who needed their child murdered to save face or have their honor restored. 

If you think Jesus may have been representing God, I would encourage considering another viewpoint about the Cross. One may rightly wonder if God thought Jesus’ message was so important, why not simply seek confession which is the first step toward changing and becoming more the person Jesus spoke of.

The real story may be Jesus died not to change God’s attitude but our attitude toward God.

Soldiers die for one another for causes they believe deeply in. Jesus died to convince us of God’s incredible love in hopes we would let God empower us to strive more to be the people our world is in desperate need of. Jesus prayed God’s will be done on earth as in heaven (Mt. 6:10). Jesus wanted to convince us that God’s ways can lead to a world worth living in. Jesus said so many things we know true. Jesus encouraged us to go the extra mile in our relationships or healing can never take place. We must care for others like we would want if in that person’s shoes.

Do you want to show others the love you so badly wished they would show to you consistently, though not always deserving?

God’s love and mercy, not gloomy uncertainty of God’s favor, can be our necessary nourishment in being the kind of person we desire to be. Jesus’ simply message was God would love to help and encourage us in such a journey. Do you every think God needs a break from you at least for a day or God can’t possibly forgive you for the 10^th or 100^th time? Guess again! Actions have consequences but God doesn’t pour on the hate. Jesus died to convince us what God is really like, not what we may think God is like. If there is a God surely they can give inspire us to be more the person we desire to be and that our lives matters here on earth.

What Is The Bible Referring To With The Word Hell?

It is important that we defend God’s reputation when it comes to the issue of Hell. If Hell according to the Bible is an unending, suffering place where people go after death for their personal beliefs, then God is no different than the god of terrorists who are sadistic torturers. A loving God would not force anyone to live with them after the grave, but a loving God who created freedom yet tortures you for your beliefs is a contradiction.

The OT says nothing about where people go after the grave.

The word Hell is an English translation for the Hebrew and Greek words Sheol and Gehenna. We know what the Bible says about Hell when determining what these two words refer to in the Bible. The Hebrew word Sheol is seldom translated any more with the English word Hell. Sheol is referred to as a place of darkness – the grave – where all go regardless of beliefs. Job, called a very righteous man in God’s eyes, expressed a desire to go to Sheol to escape tremendous suffering (Job 10:21-22).

Gehenna is the Greek word translated as Hell in the NT.

It is used by Jesus eleven times in four conversations (Mt. 5:22, 29, 30; Mt. 10:28 (i.e. Luke 12:5); Mt. 18:9 (i.e. Mk 9:43, 45, 47); Mt. 23: 15, 33). Matthew’s Jewish audience was most familiar with the history behind Gehenna. Gehenna was the name of a real valley nearby Jerusalem with a history of terrible slaughter where Israeli children were burned as sacrifices to false gods (Jer. 7:30-31; 19:2-5). Gehenna clearly illustrated the horries of physical death.

Jesus used Gehenna to explain spiritual death is just as tragic. Matthew 5:29 best illustrates this: “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown in Hell (Gehenna).” Jesus warns that lust can lead toward the tragedy of adultery – betrayal of one’s partner and children causing the breakup of the family. Jesus wasn’t suggesting lust or adultery dooms one never to enter Heaven after death. Spiritual death – living a self-centered life – is no less tragic than physical death.

Jesus didn’t think scaring the Hell out of people lead to authentic living. 

Jesus simply encouraged avoiding a life full of regrets by living an unselfish life. Jesus focused more on what leads to true happiness on earth than our destination after the grave. Jesus when asked about eternal life focused on the present – love God and your neighbor (Lk.10:25-28). No one is going to Heaven if such actions are required according to God’s standards. Jesus desperately tried to convince people life is too short to not focus on living a loving life.

The Bible does assures us that a faith in God will lead to Heaven where our bodies are transformed (Philip. 3:20). Jesus did promise the thief on the Cross he would enter paradise so there is hope even if full of regrets. But, the Bible focuses more on our lives here on earth that can lead to a life not full of regrets when looking back. After we die the Bible speaks of trusting God for justice for victims as well as believing in a merciful God full of a thousand chances.

The Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament never refers to Hell. Noah, or any prophet in the OT, never warned of Hell as a consequence for behaviors here on earth. 

Then, only the book of Revelation can be used to suggest Hell is real. The writer is speaking of events in their lifetime (Rev 1:1; 22:6), not some future Armageddon. References to the lake of fire are surely symbolical to warn against evil behaviors. God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). There is no hope for those who perpetuate evil caring only about themselves. A book clearly full of symbolic language, most understandable and applicable to the author’s immediate audience, mustn’t be used to contradict the rest of the Bible. The Bible does not say those on the wrong side of certain beliefs on earth are destined to burn forever in a place called Hell.

Hell seems to be an invention over the centuries to scare people into submission and obedience.

Does God not know what we know?  Fear only leads to concealing or doing what should be expected. Encouragement from God, parents, and friends is what leads to life transformation to obtain higher than just non-bad standards. The word Hell in the Bible is clearly a substitution not translation for certain Hebrew and Greek words. Scriptures only say after death that all are judged by our merciful God. No such place as Hell exists according to the Bible. God not only respects the right to choose your own personal beliefs in this life, but God does not torture people after death for such decisions. God only seeks a relationship to inspire you to be the kind of person you deep down desire to be.

How Does God Guide Us In Decisions?

This is a question that can confuse and frustrate both God-followers and those open to more of a relationship with God. It is often assumed an all-powerful God can know the future. If God knows the future a loving God would surely guide us to avoid decisions that can lead to heartaches. The future is not some divine plan where God is controlling all the suffering in the world. God created us with freedom where we are truly free to make different decisions. God can’t know an open, unknowable future.

The fact that even an all-powerful God can’t know an undetermined future actually can be reassuring. 

Those who believe God has a specific, future plan for their lives naturally ask God whether to marry a certain person or take a particular job. If our marriage ends up in divorce or our job is phased out, we may feel betrayed by God. Or, since God didn’t direct us otherwise we go searching for the lesson that God is supposedly trying to teach us. But, since God doesn’t communicate directly we are clueless what the lesson is. Does that sound like a loving God?

How does God guide us since the future is open and we are free to make our own decisions?

God gives us all a sense of what is moral or immoral, wise or unwise in our decisions. If we marry someone who is a poor communicator, we should not be surprised if that pattern continues in marriage. Regardless, God cannot guarantee outcomes such as a happy marriage. If God could guarantee outcomes there would be no freedom to choose otherwise.

God wants us to feel free to follow our heart and desires.

Some parents, unlike God, selfishly push their children toward partners and jobs that “they” want for their child. There is no need to ask God what decision to make as if there is only one right decision and God can guarantee outcomes. Confidence and a sense of security flows from close human or divine relationships. God gives us a sense about moral issues involved but then loves and supports our decisions that we think are wisest.

God’s plan is not a detailed blueprint but a general one to set us free to love.

I don’t love my children less because I don’t have specific decisions in mind for them. It is actually more loving to be less controlling. What is the wisest path to choose at this time in life based on past experiences, current circumstances, and future aspirations? Let’s do all the good we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as we can. Such a plan leads to true happiness in the long-run for a better world.