Can other people ruin God's plan for us?

[Sultan_Of_Swing]

I’ve heard it often said that God has a plan for each and every one of us, but it is up to us whether we follow the plan or not and co-operate with God’s grace.

Question is, can other people disrupt God’s plan in our lives, can their own actions stop God’s plan for us?

If yes, then is that really fair, no matter how obedient we are, someone else could ruin what God has planned for us?

And if your answer is no, other people cannot affect God’s plan for us, then how do you explain aborted children? Was God’s plan for those aborted children to be aborted, and if not, it means that someone else was able to disrupt God’s plan, doesn’t it?

 

[1ke]

God has a perfect will and a permissive will.

I think saying “God has a plan for us” mischaracterizes things somewhat. God has a plan. God can use us in his plans.

God does not have a day by day plan for our lives. God does not plan everything for us. God knows our choices in life, and God can operate within those choices for the good.

God does have a perfect will, which does not include abortion and other such sins. But, God’s permissive will allows it because he allows free will. God can bring good out of bad things, so that his perfect will is still ultimately achieved.

How God operates to achieve his perfect will, while still allowing us true free will, is a mystery. We cannot conceive of it completely, as it is a divine act.

 

[Cricket2]

On the surface one could say yes, but that would be too simple and erroneous. As Ike indicated God has a plan and can use us in that plan, no matter how we or others may make a mess of it, His plan will eventually come to fruition.

There are a lot of things that can turn our lives upside down. How we respond in the light of knowing Christ, is how I think we can continue to help fulfill God’s plan. Our apparent circumstances are not a good measure of whether or not God’s plan is moving forward.

God’s greatest plan is to have us re-united with Him in Heaven. The salvation of our souls is His greatest concern. So all sorts of things, illnesses, tragedies, mishaps and the like can certainly change the circumstances we find our selves living under, but they do not alter God’s plan for our salvation and that of others. How we respond to them may change that, what we learn may affect us, but God is constant and stable.

It is hard to understand why we may become the victim of a robber, killer, rapist, or some other form of violence. Things rooted in sin are not what God wants for us, but we and others sin. How we respond to that helps determine how we become a part of God’s plan versus a part of something other than His plan for us. Do we learn to forgive more, do we become kinder and more understanding, more patient, less accusatory, to we work out our anger or frustration by taking things out on others or do we use that energy to find ways to make others safer, become advocates etc?

It is easy to confuse our plans with what God has planned and to misunderstand what His plans really are. He allows us free will and the option of choice. We can mess things up, or work with God.

 

[NextElement]

This has always been something hard to comprehend for me:

God is said to be omniscient or all knowing, even of future events. In the case of abortion, we assume God already knows whether or not that fetus will make it to birth, right?

 

[rcuk]

I think once we uncover the fact that there is a God, and He knows each of us, and does, to a point, have a plan for us (I agree with the initial respondent that it isn’t a day-by-day game plan), then we’re more able to overcome the hurdles which may manifest themselves.

The ‘devil’ exists to thwart our best plans for knowing and loving God. It doesn’t mean that those who come in the way are necessarily ‘devilish’ but these hurdles can become disheartening and can really test our faith.

At times like these it’s good to get back to basics and renew what we believe. As I say, once we uncover God, we can work with him each day. We probably will never know what his plan is, although we can discern little pieces of it if we are prayerful and ask. For example, we may feel a calling to a particular vocation, and this opens up possibilities of what God’s plan for us might be.

I wouldn’t ‘railroad’ your way through life and look at things as pulling you off course. We don’t know that these challengers and challenges are not also part of the plan.

It’s necessary to recognise the good in each situation as well as the bad. In the cases of the bad, know where it is the work of the devil in pulling you off course. If it’s loved ones doing this, maybe get some perspective and consider the bigger picture.

Is there a particular problem you’re encountering?

 

[rcuk]

P.S I’ll just add that since returning to the Church I have found the sacraments to be a great help in discerning God’s plan, and staying in communion with him- literally (Eucharist) and in lifestyle. These really help to keep us on track.

I noticed you’re not get Catholic, so I wanted to throw this in there. For me, the sacraments are the best part about being Catholic. I felt starved of these before I became a Catholic 13 years ago, and starved again when I feel away from the church, before returning fully during this past Lent.

 

[LegoGE1947]

This has always been something hard to comprehend for me:

God is said to be omniscient or all knowing, even of future events. In the case of abortion, we assume God already knows whether or not that fetus will make it to birth, right?

Wouldn’t that make God out to be sort of an accomplice in the abortion industry? If so, then groups like Priests for Life are wasting their time? I’ve often had a problem with prayer in that if God is going to do what God is going to do, then why pray? Also once as a small child, I said a prayer in a VBS class and was made fun of for what I said.

 

[lakotak]

Wouldn’t that make God out to be sort of an accomplice in the abortion industry? If so, then groups like Priests for Life are wasting their time? I’ve often had a problem with prayer in that if God is going to do what God is going to do, then why pray? Also once as a small child, I said a prayer in a VBS class and was made fun of for what I said.

With free will comes awesome responsibilities. God has given us the choice, by this free will, to keep his commandments or to reject them. God cannot be an accomplice to evil, but He has to allow man to make the choice to keep his Law or freely reject His law. God is able to bring about good from evil, but He is never an accomplice to it.

God knows what He wants to give us, but sometimes He wants us to turn to him and ask of Him. Like a mother who wants to give her child some money, but she want her child to ask her for it rather than just expect it from her as an obligation.

 

[Bonnie]

I’ve often had a problem with prayer in that if God is going to do what God is going to do, then why pray?

That’s also a problem for me. God does what He wants and other people do what they want. That leaves victims of abuse, rape, murder, etc. kind of stuck. Did they deserves what happened to them? Did God want the person to suffer? Or is He unable to help?

Which is why I rarely pray for particular outcomes. I would very much like to, but I haven’t noticed anything happening when I do. It’s hard when bad things happen to people you love. Right now I’m praying for my daughter that what looks like cancer will turn out to be benign. She’s only 25. But this is her second round of “abnormal cells.” In this case it’s not a person messing with God’s supposed will for someone, but a bunch of unthinking, abnormal cells.

 

[Memaw]

I’ve heard it often said that God has a plan for each and every one of us, but it is up to us whether we follow the plan or not and co-operate with God’s grace.

Question is, can other people disrupt God’s plan in our lives, can their own actions stop God’s plan for us?

If yes, then is that really fair, no matter how obedient we are, someone else could ruin what God has planned for us?

And if your answer is no, other people cannot affect God’s plan for us, then how do you explain aborted children? Was God’s plan for those aborted children to be aborted, and if not, it means that someone else was able to disrupt God’s plan, doesn’t it?

God’s plan is for each of us to return to Him for all Eternity. HE sent HIS Son to redeem us. Jesus gave us the Catholic Church to guide us and bring the Sacraments to us. We have Our Lady and all the Saints to pray for us. Tell me, what else do we need??? Yes others can tempt us but its really our choice if we let them disrupt God’s plan in our lives. God Bless, Memaw

 

[Memaw]

That’s also a problem for me. God does what He wants and other people do what they want. That leaves victims of abuse, rape, murder, etc. kind of stuck. Did they deserves what happened to them? Did God want the person to suffer? Or is He unable to help?

Which is why I rarely pray for particular outcomes. I would very much like to, but I haven’t noticed anything happening when I do. It’s hard when bad things happen to people you love. Right now I’m praying for my daughter that what looks like cancer will turn out to be benign. She’s only 25. But this is her second round of “abnormal cells.” In this case it’s not a person messing with God’s supposed will for someone, but a bunch of unthinking, abnormal cells.

We’re not in Heaven yet. God does allow things to happen in our lives that HE did not Will to be there. (We are living on this faulty earth that suffers from the fall of our First Parents). He will always help us thru them if we trust HIM. God Bless, Memaw

 

[NextElement]

I do believe that in terms of suffering we have to really look outside of the box… What we consider suffering could in fact be a blessing to someone on the eternal scale of things. Example:

Say a person is born very poor. They suffer every day from going hungry, they never have adequate clothes or drinking water, and their whole life is basically the definition of suffering. But perhaps because of this suffering, they are given the opportunity to remain faithful to God, and are rewarded eternally. Now can we really say that person is suffering, or was it just God’s way of testing them and their faith?

 

[Bonnie]

Say a person is born very poor. They suffer every day from going hungry, they never have adequate clothes or drinking water, and their whole life is basically the definition of suffering. But perhaps because of this suffering, they are given the opportunity to remain faithful to God, and are rewarded eternally. Now can we really say that person is suffering, or was it just God’s way of testing them and their faith?

That’s sounds like a great excuse to not help people - we might be messing up God’s plan for their lives.