Does God really give gifts?

[300WhiteKnights]

What does it mean to be thankful to God for having a good house to live in and good food to eat when there are hundreds of people in the world who dont have either of these things?
Does it mean that God has given these gifts to me and refused them to other people?

I dont mean to sound disrespectful or anything, but its an honest question.

 

[GloriousOrder]

It is generally accepted, in Catholic theology, that God preordained certain things be granted people when a level or height of spiritual awareness is reached. This may just be the condition of having prayed enough that some material good comes into your possession. It may be the prerequisite of coming closer to Him in the Blessed Sacrament, that ‘triggers’ some spiritual good. The Lord is still God, despite His respect of our free will, and predestines certain things, as St. Paul says.

Those stricken by poverty in the world are, too, ordained by God to live in that state of life. It may be left up to those in better circumstances to help them… We are all children of God, and He created each person knowing exactly what that person requires and will require. He shapes each soul as it is conceived, for it is conceived in His perfection first! Lacking certain material goods is no curse if a man is holy (easy for me to say, living where I do, I know).

 

[JerryS]

What does it mean to be thankful to God for having a good house to live in and good food to eat when there are hundreds of people in the world who dont have either of these things?
Does it mean that God has given these gifts to me and refused them to other people?

I dont mean to sound disrespectful or anything, but its an honest question.

We are grateful to God for the abundance of good things he gives to the world. We are sorrowful to God that we do such a poor job of sharing the good things he gives us.

It means that God has given these good gifts to you, and you refused them to other people.

Not meaning to be disrespectful. I was just picking up on your words. This is an injustice caused by both individuals and societal structures.

 

[TrueLight]

There are different sorts of gifts. Some people are not blessed with material wealth, but they may be blessed with the ability to empathize or the gift of speech, or they may be excellent prayer warriors, or excellent problem solvers.

Just thank God for however he has blessed you.

I also believe that if you would like a certain gift, you can ask your heavenly father. If it is his will, he will grant you what you ask him.

 

[mark_avery]

Usually gift horses.

 

[dconklin]

Money and goods are not gifts from God. The ability to be productive to earn money is a gift. Our faith is a gift. The people who still live on the land deep in the jungles do not think they are poor. Those of us on this forum, for the most part, were born in a country/culture that allows/enables us to have “things”. Sometimes those things are taken away, but that is not God’s doing. It is the doing of corrupt or inept businessmen and politicians.

God gives us the “gifts” we need, but it is important that we help each other. I saw a quote the other day that said, "If the US was to cut $70 billion out of it’s military budget, that money could end severe poverty around the world. And we would still have the most powerful military in the world.