Free Will and God's Will

[LotS1014]

I was going to put “Free Will VS. God’s Will” as the title, but this isn’t really about pitting them against each other.

I feel like illness is just part of human nature. God doesn’t will it. It isn’t because we have been bad. It is part of original sin.

Anywho, I struggle with praying for God’s Will when someone is ill or just in anything, really. Mostly because I know we have free will. When does God act against our free will? When we ask him to? Does he do it without our asking sometimes?

I suppose I am asking mostly in the case of someone with a serious illness. Say Bill and Bob are both equally ill with cancer. Both have the same chance of survival. Both them and their families pray for their healing. Bill passes, but Bob overcomes the cancer and survives. I struggle with seeing God listening to Bob’s family but not Bill’s. But then people might say “It was God’s will that Bill return to him in Heaven”.

I don’t know. I just struggle with praying for God’s will in cases of illness or even things that correspond to free will.

I have no idea if ANY of this makes sense, but I hope someone can make sense of it all and help me.

 

[Waiting]

I was going to put “Free Will VS. God’s Will” as the title, but this isn’t really about pitting them against each other.

I feel like illness is just part of human nature. God doesn’t will it. It isn’t because we have been bad. It is part of original sin.

Anywho, I struggle with praying for God’s Will when someone is ill or just in anything, really. Mostly because I know we have free will. When does God act against our free will? When we ask him to? Does he do it without our asking sometimes?

I suppose I am asking mostly in the case of someone with a serious illness. Say Bill and Bob are both equally ill with cancer. Both have the same chance of survival. Both them and their families pray for their healing. Bill passes, but Bob overcomes the cancer and survives. I struggle with seeing God listening to Bob’s family but not Bill’s. But then people might say “It was God’s will that Bill return to him in Heaven”.

I don’t know. I just struggle with praying for God’s will in cases of illness or even things that correspond to free will.

I have no idea if ANY of this makes sense, but I hope someone can make sense of it all and help me.

It all comes down to TRUST. Trust God to answer prayer as He knows best. After all, we don’t know the long term effects of what we pray for – but God does. So many of my prayers are not answered as I request, but I trust that God, who I know loves me, is doing the wisest thing needed. I am disappointed at times, as with yesterday’s election results, but still I trust that God permits certain things, even terrible things at times, for a reason. My feeble intellect cannot fully understand why, so I simply put my trust in God and wait for a favorable outcome.

 

[Z_Ninja]

you are correct as they are not to be pitted against each other.

I’ve come to the understanding as given in the example of Mary. She is the perfect example of free will, i think, in relation to God’s will. By saying “may it be done to me according to your word,” she uses her free will to do the will of God.

Of course, in the case of someone that is ill, we would want them to get better. And as such, will pray for their recovery, yet try to understand that God’s will is to have all mankind return and live in heaven. in my mind, I try to, but will never fully understand the will of God.