God's Will

Some of my posts about God's will, made today on the TEC forum. Backstory for those unaware: the Anglican Diocese of Calgary is closing three churches for various cited reasons; the underlying reason they had to even choose some churches to close is that my own church is a new building and has a huge mortgage that needs to be paid off. People aren't happy about this, to say the least. A post in one area of the forum caused someone to ask if things really happen for a reason. And this is my response:

"Everything works together for the good of those who love & serve the Lord." That is often misconstrued to mean that everything that happens to us is orchestrated by God. It's not. God allows things to happen to us, and it's up to us to figure out the best way through. The best way through - good and bad - is to pray and ask His help. I think everything *does* happen for a reason. Whether or not we (a) recognize that reason or (b) like that reason, it's there. It's like when you were little. You ask your Mom for a chocolate bar when you're in the store. She says no, you ask why not. She says, "Because I said so, that's why." You're upset, you might throw a fit, but if you have a smart parent, she's more likely to haul you out of the store to the car without the chocolate bar than she is to actually break down and get it for you. You don't know, when you're little, that Mom said no chocolate bar because it's bad for your teeth, it'll ruin your dinner, etc. But it was for your own good anyhow, even though you don't know it or like it. Whatever the reasons behind closing the three churches are (and we will probably never know the true reasons behind the Diocesan Executive's decision here), they do exist. And yeah, you know, they may be really poor reasons that people made up to get what they wanted. But you know what else? God is in this situation regardless. And it's up to us to turn to Him and pray for the people of those parishes, just as it's up to them to turn to Him and pray for strength through this time of transition. God will work in the situation, and He let it happen for a reason, regardless of whether or not we know what that reason is.

Beth also replied, a very good post. I won't reproduce it here, as I haven't got permission. And then another response from the person who started it all... here is my reply to her, with the quotes excised:

[partial quote: "...I do not believe that this was a secondary way for God to stop those three congregations because they were doing something against His will."] I never said anything of the sort, either. I said that regardless of the reasons for the closures of the churches, it is up to us to pray for them and up to the people in those parishes to pray for guidance. In this way, God will move and use the situation to work in people's lives. Again, I never said that God wanted to disassemble those congregations. But He did let it happen, and I'm sure He had some good reason for it. [OP's friend had a baby due to rape; partial quote: "My friend would say that God had His hand on the situation, but that doesn't mean that the initial act was from God. Does that make sense?"] Makes perfect sense and doesn't actually contradict a word I said. Just because God allows things to happen it doesn't mean He willed them to happen. Just because good things come out of awful things it doesn't mean God willed the awful things to happen. He allows these things to happen and then uses them to His glory, to work in people's lives. It is often in the darkest time of life that a soul is reminded of God's presence and begins to pray, returns to the fold... like the prodigal son, who had to end up feeding pigs before he clued in to the fact that he should've just stayed home in the first place. I'm pretty sure that the father didn't want anything bad to happen to his son, but because he loved his son and wanted him to make his own choices about his life, he gave him the money and his blessing. So it is with God. [partial quote: "I am NOT saying that the Bishop was not carrying out God's will. I am not in a position to make that judgement either way."] No, you aren't, but it comes across that way. I'm not saying that it was God's will that the churches be closed, either. I'm saying that He will use the situation to bring about great good. And that is that. There is a difference between something being allowed to happen and then being used for good and something being in God's will from the start.