Comments on: My 2001 Prayer Revisited

By: Joe Besenjak

Joe Besenjak — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:37:17 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Mardell! And thanks for clarifying that important point. I didn’t think I had gone overboard with “God did this, God did that, etc.” But in reviewing the post, I can see why it felt that way. However, I definitely DO NOT count myself among those who won’t go through a door unless they feel God beckoning them that way. My understanding of how God leads is much more like what you described. Most of the time I think God does want us to make decisions using the equipping He provides for us. I loved what Mike Breaux said in one of his first messages at Willow Creek. The topic was how God leads us. His conclusion was basically this: God’s desire is for us to want Him much more than we want his answer. In other words, God wants us first and foremost to be in relationship with him. Then, He expects us to make decisions out of the vitality of that relationship. And as you said, I think God walks with us through the aftermath of those decisions and, like any loving parent, helps us learn from them and guides us to growth.

By: Mardell

Mardell — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:52:03 +0000

Hello brother,
Guilty as charged. I’ve been reading and not commenting but I did have something to say about this post. Another perspective, perhaps? I remember reading a Kay Arthur book years ago and, after her first “feelings” of God’s presence in her life and journey, became very upset because she couldn’t “feel” that again. She was desperately unhappy as a result and began to feel that God had abandoned her. As I’m reading your post…and then God did this and then God did that…it made me question if God really works that way. I hear many Christians go on and on about “God told me to do this or God led me to that”. I don’t know, ya know? I guess, after reading scripture for many years, I think God wants us to make decisions and then will walk with us through them and use them to instruct us about how and why we made that decision and why it was good or not so good. I would call that growth. I guess the question I would ask is: Do you really think that God wants to make our decisions for us? And that seems to be, essentially, what many Christians want. They pray and pray for God to “guide them” because there is no perceived risk if He does. I mean, if God is guiding me how can I go wrong…how can I make a mistake. Didn’t the leaders of the Spanish Inquisition seek God’s guidance and didn’t He tell them to kill all those people? If I just follow God’s will, I’m risking nothing. OK, I’ll get down off my soap box now. Just sharing my thoughts as i read your post. And it’s wonderful to read them and see what you’re up to. IHL, M.

By: CB

CB — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:36:34 +0000

Say, Joe, I know exactly where you are. I am finding myself in the same place – with open arms and asking God to reveal the next step in the journey. I know doors are closing and I am ready. My prayers go out to you that you will find peace in knowing that God has a plan for you and that you will be ready… Blessings on your journey.