Let me preface this with the clear, up front statement that I don't have any well formed thoughts on this topic - thought I'd just toss it out there and see if anyone wanted to randomly muse back. I also kind of think that this is going to fall into the "Things we won't see clearly until heaven" category - which of course means that it's something we chew on incessantly here on earth.
So, that said, I was chatting with a friend yesterday about the adoption and I mentioned that this latest non-placement was simply an indication that this wasn't the child God had for us and how the right person would choose us in the right time.
And my friend said, "Well. Wait a minute. God's will isn't necessarily or always done on earth."
And I had to pause. Because there's definitely truth to that thought - else we'd not have the whole sin/fallen world issue. I don't believe that everytime something bad happens to a good person that it's God's will (I believe He allows it, but it's not His perfect plan) - but I also can't rule out that sometimes those bad things are God's will - for whatever reason, but ultimately to give glory to God. Though even thinking that aloud or seeing it here in writing is slightly uncomfortable and I wonder what kind of Calvinist muddle I've just wandered into.
The conversation left me wondering: if Tim and I do all we can to be in God's will (especially in relation to our adoption) - is it still possible that we could end up outside of His will because of the free-will actions of another? Or (and this is the best I can come up with) if we are earnestly and truly seeking His will, will we find the discernment to turn down a placement that isn't His plan for us? (Even though I think everyone in our family would want to murder us in our sleep if we turned a placement down.)
I believe in the unassailable sovereignty of God. But I also believe that we have free will. And in my mind, they're not at odds or incompatible - though I don't think I have the eloquence to try and even begin to explain why. I gave it a shot last night and Tim's response was, "I think sometimes we just try to make this harder than it needs to be." Perhaps he has a point, as well.
8 hours ago
It's actually possible, both in this situation and in general, that you, your husband, and your friend are all correct.
ReplyDeleteYour friend is certainly right in saying that God's will is not always done on earth. Jesus told us to pray that God's will would be done, probably because he recognized that it very often wasn't.
Your husband is right, and he can say it to you using the words he used. I, who don't know you, might say that you were exercising your God given prerogative to over-analyze.
And you might also be right in thinking God did not have this particular placement in mind for you at this time. I say 'you might be right' because this is the one item of the three where whether you're correct or not doesn't matter nearly so much as how you respond to the reality of the situation. Your response seems to be pretty good: ultimately to give the glory to God.
Amen!
One other thing (and you can call this my random musing). Free will or no, the reality is that there human foolishness, sinfulness, and even evil are at work in the world and sometimes even within us. We probably wish these unpleasant things didn't effect stuff, but sadly, they do. Your non-placement decision (or getting stuck in a seminar with Code Cowboy, or whatever) could have been the result of God's choice, or it could have been the result of a foolish decision by the agency, or corruption, somebody being in a bad mood that day... any number of things.
And still we say, "ultimately, we give the glory to God."
And even if it the Lord's doing, I'm still sorry you didn't get that placement. :-(
I could respond to your topic, but I'm pretty sure that's not in God's will for me at 5:30 PM when I need to be going home :-).
ReplyDeleteBut I definitely empathize about the scrapbooking requirement. Ugh. The only thing worse would to be to have to send a recording of some sort. Can't stand watching/hearing myself. Reading myself is bad enough, so I'll stop.
Jim - I love it when everyone can be right. :) I think, however, that you're right (Look! Everyone is right! Again! It's like a little love fest right here in the comments. :) )
ReplyDeleteBret - I think I'd honestly rather do a recording if it could just be audio (video will run into the same issue as the pictures) - I really don't mind how I sound. My voice teacher used to make me record myself all the time while I practiced, so I got used to hearing how I sounded outside my head.
Eric, I've been told similar a number of times and never fail to find it comforting. But it's always good to have a reminder - cause sometimes, silly though it may be, I let myself forget that very fact.
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