Where Do Our Belief Systems Lead Us?

United States
August 27, 2007 8:19pm CST
As a Judeo-Christian living in the United States of America, one thing is for sure: God has given me the unalienable right to freedom, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to have life. What I do not know is where God is leading me. Am I headed for success, or am I headed for complete failure? This is a question that has been plaguing me for so long now, I am really not sure where I am going. My life has taken such a roller coaster of a ride that at this point I tend to ask myself, "Am I to lead a life to allow others to continue to ask me for support, or am I to give this support even as I struggle ruthlessly myself?" I have absolutely no problem supporting my elderly mother. She is not ready for a retirement community or a nursing home just yet. She has bad arthritis, COPD, had bouts with cancer surgeries as well as rotator cuff surgery, yet she still can function pretty well. She lives with my wife and I but my wife and I have not had the kind of life that I feel we truly deserve. We do not have a house (even though, I have tried to provide), I have a vehicle that is slowly in the repair stage (I drive 20 miles one way to work) and I come home to find myself with little time left each and every night for my wife and my family. I hear how so many people have this and they have that. They have expensive "toys" that they have the ability to enjoy and do what they want with. "Did God provide these toys for them, or did they earn them rightfully?" Do I have a right to ask this because I do not have them myself? I know that if God wants me to have the things in life I would like to have, I am going to have to prove to Him that I am worthy of the niceties that I would love to have. I am not sure how to do this except follow His laws and His ways, but sometimes, Satan puts up a wall and I have this tendency to smash right into it. Let me know how you feel about your faith. Do you feel that you deserve the things that you have? Do you feel that you earned them or has God given these luxuries to you? Do you feel that you will one day have to "repay" God for what he has provided you?
2 people like this
2 responses
AnjaP
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
28 Aug 07
This is very hard to answer, because I think everyone feels this way at times, and it's hard to watch others who seem to have things so much easier and still keep a positive outlook. Remember that God tells us that all things work together for good for those that love Him. What often appear to be roadblocks or obstacles, often turn us down roads that seem impassable but have something good at the end of them. Turn it all over to Him and let Him guide you. It may be difficult to feel joyous as life pummels you in every way it can. The psalmist asks why do the wicked prosper, and the answer given is just that it is not our worry, they shall be cut down as the grass of the field. I know it's not very nice, but sometimes I hold onto that bit about them getting cut down, lol. Hang in there for now, understand that you WILL get through all of this and I certainly believe God has something better at the end of this road. Try to believe and hold onto that. WE are told to seek God first and all these things will be added unto us. Don't seek the things, seek God and He will provide what you need, although it may not be exactly what you thought you wanted.
emisle
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
28 Aug 07
I think, for me anyways, that that is a hard question to answer. There are people who are born into a life of luxury while others struggle, and than there are circumstances where bad things happen to good people and vice vearsa. I do think that if someone wants something than they're going to have to make an effort and go after it. I like to believe that there is an afterlife but I'm not a fan of organised religion (I'm Catholic) I know that I am lucky that I don't have to struggle from day to day, and I do appreciate it. I don't see God as having 'given' me these luxuries, more like the luck of the draw! And as far as repaying God goes, I think that I am a good person and when presented with a choice will choose to do the right thing. I guess we never fully know until our time's up.