'Outsourcing' To God

[Stephen_Parry]

As a relatively new Christian, there is one area of my life in which I need a bit of direction/advice.

It is my understanding that if you ask God for something, you leave it in His hands, you ‘outsource’ the worry and let God do what He does best. I have no problem with that.

However, if you ask God to do something, how much are you then allowed to do? It would seem God give us a brain and the tools to do things, how do we strike the right balance between ‘outsourcing’ our problems/prayer requests to God and doing what we need ourselves?

As that might not explain things, let me offer a hypothetical example:

A man is unemployed and really wants to work. He makes a prayer request to God and asks for gainful employment so that he can support himself and contribute. So he leaves that request with God. However, should he still rigorously and aggressively pursue job opportunities or would rigorous and aggressive be an attempt to ‘replace’ God and do everything under your own steam?

Here’s another example: a man is going through bad times with his wife. A third party is causing problems for them all. So the man prays to God to deal with the situation. Should the man sit back and let God handle it as He is able or should the man be aggressive and proactive in dealing with the problem?

Let me put it this way: is it disrespectful towards God to ask him for a prayer request but to then put 100% of your own efforts into solving the problem? That’s the crux of the question basically.

I guess a real-life analogy for me is a man requesting that someone paint his house for him. So the painter comes along and promises to do a good job, but the man who requested it starts to paint too and get heavily involved. In that case, it might be seen as being disrespectful to the painter to join him in his efforts even though the painter is more then capable.

I’m no good at explaining things. Basically, is it wrong to ask God to deal with something, but then put your own efforts in to help solve the problem? Should one literally sit back and let God handle the entire problem?

Thank you and God bless.

Stephen

 

[EasterJoy]

No, of course when you trust God it does not imply that God becomes your servant instead of the other way around. As the old saying goes: Pray to God, but row away from the rocks.

This a joke my husband likes to tell. There was a man who was caught at home in a terrible storm. The flood waters began to rise, and he prayed to God to save him from the flood. Eventually, a group on a rowboat came by, and bid him to get in with them, and so be saved. “No,” the man said, “God will save me.” Then he was driven to the upper story of his house, and another boat came by. “Get in!” the people in the boat pleaded. “No,” the man said, “God will save me.” After that, the flood waters continued to rise, and he was driven to his roof. A rescue helicopter spotted him, and tried to rescue him. “No,” the man shouted above the roar of the rotors, “God will save me!!” And so the helicopter, too, left him behind.

Well, the flood waters continued to rise, until they washed the man off of the roof of his house, and he was drowned. When he appeared at the Pearly Gates, he was still puzzling over what happened to him. “Lord,” he said, “I prayed for you to save me, and yet here I am, drowned in the flood. What happened?” The Lord sighed. “What did you want? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!”

 

[DevotedChild]

God didn’t give us intelligence for nothing, nor a body that moves. We can ask God for help for a problem but we still have to try to solve the problem our selves because God works in that He provide opportunities or options to help solve the problem but have to look for it and continue to try to solve the problem ourselves.

God Bless.

 

[ActingCatholic]

When we ask God to solve a problem for us, most often what we’re actually asking is for God to give us the strength / wisdom that we need to solve it, or to send someone into our life to help us solve it. With that in mind, there is nothing wrong with asking God to fix something for us, and then continuing our own efforts to fix it as well.

The key is to put effort towards working WITH God and following his will to solve the problem. We are the Body of Christ, which means that there are times when we have to the heavy-lifting, so to speak, but God is always there to support us.

It’s also important to trust that God will answer our prayers in the most loving way, and all we need to do is follow his will.

I recommend looking up the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for a better understanding of how to pray for God’s personal help.

 

[James1990]

Good thread! Hope theres more discussion. Really interesting question you asked here OP. I for one have an interest in this because I always pray for my love life… but how much should I put myself out there and pursue vs waiting?

 

[EasterJoy]

Good thread! Hope theres more discussion. Really interesting question you asked here OP. I for one have an interest in this because I always pray for my love life… but how much should I put myself out there and pursue vs waiting?

Use whatever avenues are at your disposal, provided they are at the service of virtue.

I ran across this quote for Pentecost from a vocations message, and like it:
“The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations.—Catechism of the Catholic Church

 

[ActingCatholic]

Great quote grab Easter Joy, thanks.

Good thread! Hope theres more discussion. Really interesting question you asked here OP. I for one have an interest in this because I always pray for my love life… but how much should I put myself out there and pursue vs waiting?

I suggest looking at is “how can I cooperate with God.” Sometimes we ask God to just fix things for is because we don’t want to take the risk ourselves, and other times we can try too hard to force the issue. If you put energy into looking, feeling and acting your best so that when God nudges the right person towards you, you’re ready for them, then you can line yourself up with God’s timeline and be able to worry less. My two cents.

 

[John_Martin]

As it says in Scripture, “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord”.
The battles are fought, yet all the while praying for the Lord’s will.
On Pentecost the apostles prayed that the Lord would choose a successor to Judas, but they also cast lots, They did their part, petitioning God to do his work within their part.

John Martin

 

[DevotedChild]

I suggest looking at is “how can I cooperate with God.” Sometimes we ask God to just fix things for is because we don’t want to take the risk ourselves, and other times we can try too hard to force the issue. If you put energy into looking, feeling and acting your best so that when God nudges the right person towards you, you’re ready for them, then you can line yourself up with God’s timeline and be able to worry less. My two cents.

exactly

 

[Evania]

There’s a story that St. Monica was seeing a priest to ask for advice on praying for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine. The wise priest told her, “Pray like everything depends on God, but work like everything depends on you.”
I notice that when I do that, I’m led in the right direction. Either the doors that need to be open will open or the doors that need to be closed will be closed.

 

[cheezey]

There’s a story that St. Monica was seeing a priest to ask for advice on praying for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine. The wise priest told her, “Pray like everything depends on God, but work like everything depends on you.”
I notice that when I do that, I’m led in the right direction. Either the doors that need to be open will open or the doors that need to be closed will be closed.

:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

 

[HolyRosaryChild]

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Stephen, through all of my situations and experiences (with the exception of three situations) during my almost 50 years of life relationship with God, The Holy Spirit, Jesus (as One) and Our Lady Mary Mother of Jesus I have recently learned to discipline myself to ‘wait’ a little longer on major requests at the same time, working myself in Christian practical terms towards the things requested.

For example, I pray for the “right” work contract provided at the “right” time for me (my Soul) in Jesus’ time. One came along three weeks ago (fantastic pay, fantastic work, fantastic conditions); I turned the interview down as a result of Mother in Law ill in hospital dying and the fact that my Children needed me to pray for them and get them through the initial grieving. By the way, I have a beautiful relationship with Mother Mary (Our Lady Mary who provides all of Jesus and Her Love, Wisdom and Guidance to me, for the good of my Soul journey and for the good of others around me and “out there”.

The constant message I receive when a work contract is turned down: “My Child, Jesus will provide”…and He has on every occasion when I am doing the things Called to undertake and complete!

These situations have occurred many times throughout my life. This week I was offered another interview for a job…I think the time is right now that another Calling has been done (another on the horizon whereby I will need more money to undertake the Calling). Jesus and Our Lady Mary will show me in a few days whether it is to be (or not as yet)!

“Trust and have full confidence in The Lord” Our Lady Mary is giving me right now (am smiling)!

 

[HolyRosaryChild]

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If you pray The Holy Rosary to Jesus and Our Lady Mary Mother of Jesus x daily bringing you closer and closer to Jesus; you will “know” everything!