Posted

(I posted what follows on facebook a few minutes ago. I like to post things there because it's more like a community there. People react or comment. On this blog, I have no idea if anyone has seen what I write, and it's rare that anyone comments at all. There are problems with facebook [as this "Hidden Brain" radio show recording shows], but In so many ways I think it's great.)

Here's what I posted:

"We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work. 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…' (Ecclesiastes 9:10)."

This, from today's utmost dot org, can't be applied to other people, as if we were trying to tell them to be content, for example, in their poverty or sickness or loneliness. Just like we have "no right" to decide where _we_ should be "placed," that is, what the circumstances of our own personal lives should be, we have no right to point the finger at anyone else to tell them that they shouldn't complain or work hard or pray to have their own lives be made better. In fact, one of the things we do as believers is to pray and work and even to complain loudly about the injustices done to others whose lives are hard. That's intercession. But at the same time, as we pray and work and complain on their behalf we will be confident that God is working things out for good in their lives too.

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