Pre-destination or good faith?

[JAGCath28]

Is it considered pre-destination when you believe that God has an affect on things that happen in your life? I thought that pre-destination was the belief that pretty much from your conception you are already determined to go to Heaven or Hell (which I don’t believe in this). However, I’m being told that it also means believing that God has control of certain aspects of your life. Like if for example you apply for 2 jobs, and you are qualify for both. There is one that you really really want and you think you got it no problem, but then you don’t get hired. Instead, you get the other one. Then you think, I guess the first one wasn’t meant to be. Maybe a year or two later, you look back and you see all that happened because you got the second job instead of the first and think that it was God’s will.

I don’t know if that makes sense. But, I’ve always prayed to God for guidance on decisions in my life. When things didn’t go the direction I wanted them to go, I just “chalked” it up to not being in God’s plan for me. I’m being told that believing this is closely in line with pre-destination, but I don’t believe that is true. I believe in free will, but I believe that God has a plan for each of us and our choices determine if we stick to His plan or not…and for those who want to follow His will but often get sidetracked by our own poor decisions or the decisions of others, God is still able to complete His plan just not the “easy” way that He would have had it done. If you don’t have any interest in following God’s will, then you’ve chosen your path. But, there are so many instances in the Bible where God had a plan and was able to complete even through all the many different circumstances. Just a few examples:
Joseph being sold into slavery
Moses and Pharaoh
David
Esther
Jesus
Saul/Paul
Some of those are examples of people who wanted to follow God’s will, bad things happened, but in the end God’s will prevailed…some are examples of those not wanting follow God’s will, but God had a purpose for them and finally got their attention.

I guess I’m just frustrated because I’m being mocked for thanking God for everything in my life, because I’m being told that God didn’t make me into who I am…I did. And that God gave me the tools, but I chose to use them. Is it wrong to think I’m blessed because God “gave” me a good husband? Am I instead supposed to think, “wow. I sure have a good head on my shoulders to pick a compatible guy like this.” Is it wrong to think that God blessed me with the house we live in or the fact that our house is near a hospital which we utilized recently because of my husband’s heart? Is it wrong to think that God was watching out for us when we decided to recently up our insurance just prior to going to the hospital not knowing that we would need it? Am I supposed to give credit to my maturity and being level-headed that we made those decisions?

I could really use some insight from a Catholic perspective.

Peace be with you,

Jessica

 

[FCEGM]

Is it considered pre-destination when you believe that God has an affect on things that happen in your life? I thought that pre-destination was the belief that pretty much from your conception you are already determined to go to Heaven or Hell (which I don’t believe in this). However, I’m being told that it also means believing that God has control of certain aspects of your life. Like if for example you apply for 2 jobs, and you are qualify for both. There is one that you really really want and you think you got it no problem, but then you don’t get hired. Instead, you get the other one. Then you think, I guess the first one wasn’t meant to be. Maybe a year or two later, you look back and you see all that happened because you got the second job instead of the first and think that it was God’s will.

I don’t know if that makes sense. But, I’ve always prayed to God for guidance on decisions in my life. When things didn’t go the direction I wanted them to go, I just “chalked” it up to not being in God’s plan for me. I’m being told that believing this is closely in line with pre-destination, but I don’t believe that is true. I believe in free will, but I believe that God has a plan for each of us and our choices determine if we stick to His plan or not…and for those who want to follow His will but often get sidetracked by our own poor decisions or the decisions of others, God is still able to complete His plan just not the “easy” way that He would have had it done. . . .I could really use some insight from a Catholic perspective.

Peace be with you,

Jessica

Hi, Jessica What you’ve presented very much coincides with the Catholic understanding of predestination (as opposed to the Calvinist position that doesn’t allow for free will). These two articles give good overviews of the Catholic teaching:

bringyou.to/apologetics/a83.htm

bringyou.to/apologetics/num21.htm

 

[NHInsider]

Jessica-

your post made me think of Paul, who at times in his missionary journeys planned to go to one region or another and was “prevented” from doing so by Jesus or the Holy Spirit. (See two such mentioned in Acts 16).

It’s impossible to say precisely how God carries out His will without imposing it upon us, but it is clear that He does. And yes, I think it is perfectly true to say God has a plan for us which He is carrying out (Romans 8:28), while at the same time saying we have to seek to do His will in our lives.

 

[JAGCath28]

Hi, Jessica What you’ve presented very much coincides with the Catholic understanding of predestination (as opposed to the Calvinist position that doesn’t allow for free will). These two articles give good overviews of the Catholic teaching:

bringyou.to/apologetics/a83.htm

bringyou.to/apologetics/num21.htm

Thank you. The Catholic position is my understanding of “predestination”. I’m glad that it isn’t a dirty word and that it is a Catholic teaching (although different from the Calvinist position). I will use those sites to show the Catholic viewpoint.

 

[JAGCath28]

Jessica-

your post made me think of Paul, who at times in his missionary journeys planned to go to one region or another and was “prevented” from doing so by Jesus or the Holy Spirit. (See two such mentioned in Acts 16).

It’s impossible to say precisely how God carries out His will without imposing it upon us, but it is clear that He does. And yes, I think it is perfectly true to say God has a plan for us which He is carrying out (Romans 8:28), while at the same time saying we have to seek to do His will in our lives.

I believe that those who choose (with their free will) to follow God’s plan, He does this. I mean I don’t believe it is as detailed as what to eat or what to where, but major things like travel, jobs, school, etc. Everything you do in life affects something that will happen later in life. If you want to follow God’s will, even if it isn’t evident what that is, God will help direct you down his path by opening and closing doors in your life. So, would you say it is naive of me to think that God places someone in your life like a friend or husband or family members?