Does God Micromanage our Lives?

[coyote]

When a person makes several job applications, and gets no interviews. Is it because God doesn’t want the person to have any of those jobs, but has another one in mind?

When a person becomes ill or has a loved one become ill or die, is it because God has some purpose that is directly facilitated by the illness or death?

When there is a natural disaster like hurricane, earthquake, fire, blizzard etc. Is it because God is punishing those affected or is He “cleaning house”?

When a relationship fails or founders is it because God has decided on a different partner, spouse, or friend?

In other words, does God actually micromanage the details of the lives of each and every person?

 

[wacky_wonderful]

5 very good questions.

Man proposes, God disposes. Meaning, you can want something and yet God will give you what you need. He’ll always give you what you need, but not everything that you want. That applies to jobs and relationships. Father knows best.

Death, illness, disasters…all part of living in this fallen world of ours. As time goes by, you might be able to look back and get some insights. Or you may have to wait till you get to heaven to find out why certain things happened.

I wouldn’t say He micro-manages. He can only do what you allow Him to do. Does your life belong to Him in its entirety, to do with as He wishes?

 

[MaryD7]

Very good question.

Here is my scholarly uneducated, yet personal view, on your question: I used to believe He micromanaged things but now I am not so sure.

Take for instance, illness and death. Aren’t these both an occurrence that we all face, sinner or not, as human beings? And isn’t sometimes the illness and death we meet our own fault? (eg: smoking, etc.) God wasn’t micromanaging those things. Our bodies are not indestructable. These are things which are just part of our human existence on earth.

As for disasters, aren’t the good swept up with the evil? Why would one be punished but another saved?

I think God knows the details of our lives and He knows the outcome of our lives but I don’t think He micromanages our lives. Then what would be the point of free will?

From: The ramblings of someone who is trying to discover what “Thy will be done” means in the Lord’s Prayer.

 

[Mordocai]

God will ‘micromanage’ our lives only if we let Him.
“Not my will, but thine.”
If God knows we don’t want His will (and often times we ourselves don’t even know) He won’t force it on us.
Lord knows I need Him to do practically everything for me, I’m weak without Him.
So, God has laws set in place, but He’s not bound by them. We don’t have to be either. Hmm…

Mordocai

P.S. that doesnt mean gravity doesnt exist

 

[contemplative]

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:30

These words strongly suggest that some sort of micro management is going on.

 

[b_justb]

When a person makes several job applications, and gets no interviews. Is it because God doesn’t want the person to have any of those jobs, but has another one in mind?

No, it means that the person isn’t the best qualified for the position he applied for.

When a person becomes ill or has a loved one become ill or die, is it because God has some purpose that is directly facilitated by the illness or death?

No. Illness and death are a direct result of ancestral sin (aka original sin).

When there is a natural disaster like hurricane, earthquake, fire, blizzard etc. Is it because God is punishing those affected or is He “cleaning house”?

No. It means that humans have built their homes and cities in the path of naturally occurring phenomena and haven’t built them to a degree that will withstand that naturally occurring phenomenon.

When a relationship fails or founders is it because God has decided on a different partner, spouse, or friend?

No. Failed relationships are due to ancestral sin. The disorder of human nature allows pride and selfishness to get in the way of love, thus various relationships fail.

In other words, does God actually micromanage the details of the lives of each and every person?

No. God has endowed all of us with freewill. We love God by choice not because we are afraid of what the big evil man in the sky might do to us. God being all-knowing doesn’t equate to Him being the all string pulling puppeteer.

Live your life free from these ideas or a slave to them you make yourself. Freedom in Christ is true freedom, free from these ideas you mention for sure.

 

[Gnosis]

I have a difficult time buying into the saying that “God doesn’t give us everything we want, but he gives us everything we need”

If God gave us everything we need than millions of people wouldn’t die everyday due to hunger and lack of basic neccessities. Nearly 1 billion people struggle to meet the most basic needs everday. I have difficult time seeing this as the will of God.

 

[Mordocai]

Who are we to say what people need? Is that not God’s decision? Does the body now take precedence over redemptive suffering?
Perhaps the only way for God to provide what everyone else needs is to allow so many people to redemptively suffer. Great their rewards will be in Heaven. The sufferings of the present time pale in comparion with the glory of Heaven. We yell at God with “Unjust! Unjust!”
Will we judge the Just Judge?

God will of course provide for our needs; if we ask Him.
And God will grant our hearts deepest desires; if we truly want them and they are beneficial to us.

Just some thoughts…
Mordocai

 

[Gnosis]

I can’t help but feel that view is flawed. Millions of people die everyday of starvation and other preventable means, many of them children. It might be easy for you to say that this is the will of God, but I don’t think dying children, grieving mothers and families in such intense suffering would share your sentiments.

Secondly, who would we be then, to help these people? Would we not be interferring with God’s redemptive suffering? A homeless man asks you for a quarter, and do you reply “It’s God’s will that you starve, great will your reward be in heaven”

Or why is it, that when World Vision or missionaries go to save lives and feed the hungry we are performing “the will of God”. World Vision is always asking for more donations, and the Church is constantly trying to help those in need. Why is that, those we help, are being helped through God’s will, yet the millions that we can’t reach (but hope too) are dying because of “God’s will”

What of the people who never accept Christ, but then have their life taken away prematurely for the sake of redemptive suffering? What is the use of redemptive suffering if you don’t even believe in Christ?