A good friend of mine lost his daughter to cancer, she was 9 yrs old and yes, I truely believe that God has plans for us and nothing happens by mistake. I believe that God had a place for this little girl some where else and the parents have learned to grow because of their pain. Im going thru some pain myself right now and I ask God all the time that I am handing this pain to Him, I just cant take it no more. But of course, things dont happen on my time, they happen on His and in time, he will show me that there is someone better out there for me.

I have to believe that everything happens for a reason, it does help me cope when bad things happen. I started believing this when my best friend died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in high school. Maybe God took her then at age 17 to save her from a lifetime of misery. Maybe she was taken because she was an organ donor and one of her organs went to someone who went on to do great things for many people. Who knows? I try not to question why things happen, but it does help me to accept them to think that there is a reason for them.

Even little things like maybe my kitchen flooded to make me late to work because there was a 5 car accident where I could have been killed. Maybe my daughter got the swine flu this week to keep her home from work because something tragic would have happened.

I believe in destiny and do sometimes just go with my gut feeling...cause it's certainly more peaceful than trying to alter things beyond my control..

I think our gut feelings are God talking to us in His way.

What about child abuse, murder, acts of terrorism etc - acts perpetrated by man - do these happen for a reason? If they happened because they were part of a plan of god that would make them spiritual and surely they are not?

if life was perfect then why would need heaven - a statement told to me by my daughter. God is not the only one working in this world - so is the devil. God doesn't make evil things happens - the devil does. God says we are forgiven for our sins, but forgivenes, doesn't mean we won't suffer the consequences of those previous actions. God takes people home in God's time - just because it causes us pain, doesn't mean the homecoming of one of God's children isn't glorious to him and that's what its all about Glorifying him - Mercy Me has a song - called Jesus Bring the Rain - it has very powerful words, about faith -

Yes God could prevent it all, God could make this world a total Utopia or Heaven, but why should he? Who would have faith or believe if there werent' things in their lives to challenge that? What would be the purpose?

Evil is a evil does. What seems bad or tragic to some isn't that bad or tragic to others. Sometime find the simple crisises in life to totally overwhelming, others wait until the overwhelming happens -

God never expected Christians to be perfect - EVER - that's what many people don't understand.

I do not think anything happens by mistake, i don't necessarily think that God is the force by every happening - as Satan is out there too -but I think nothing happens by mistake - I think humans make mistakes in the human perception of things - and we should all be responsible for our actions, bad choices don't necesarily make bad people, events of mother nature don't make mother nature a bad thing, the evil actions of others can be in awe by people and forgiven by God if they choose to change their ways -

I know that became a ramble - sorry!

Peace!

If you are a believer and face a tragedy - it normally brings you closer to God - no matter the event - there is always a positive in every negative, and you can find it! if any tragic event brings you closer to God, then that's all the positive you need to find.

OK, I'll shut up now -

What a great thread! I really needed it. Thanks, Nicky.
Wayne-

Nicky, while it may be true that nothing happens in GOD'S world by mistake, this is MAN'S world. I'm with you all the way on this

glad,i`m with you.This is not God`s world,His is the world of the Spirit as far as i am concerned.God is not responsible for child rape and other horrible things.It is not His will.
I believe if we take the lines out of context we get a false impression that every thing out there,every single bad/good act is a act of God,then that would make God a horrible God.

My conception of God is good,but we also have a force for evil here,and the Bible calls Him the adversary or the devil.
The bad and evil comes from somewhere

what's a mistake? Every breath we take has coincequences so let's watch our breath with care.

I sometimes think that God sits up in heaven and observes us. Lately we have been shutting God out of our lives. Take for example-----recently the Post Office was forced to remove any mention of the words "In God We Trust" from their buildings. In Death Valley some World War One Vets had placed a simple cross in memory of those they knew from that area you were killed in WW One. Someone saw it and was "offended" and called the ACLU and now they have to cover the cross until the courts rule on it. We turn to God now only when it suits our purpose and God has said that if "You come to Me in Pray, I will hear you." The murders, child abuse, lying and cheating are man's deeds not God's. God allows us to "do our thing." I think He is getting pretty disgusted with us and ask yourself this: Why should God answer us now? It is we who have shunned Him not He us.

like the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other...some CHOOSE to listen to the devil side.

Yes, simple as hell...but I'm a simple girl. Y'all are deep this mornin but you're makin me think! Good stuff!

It all boils down to "do unto others" to me...if you don't want to be raped & murdered, don't rape & murder.

I'm actually a card carrying member of the ACLU and get your story straight. They are not a left wing group they are about American liberties. Have you read any of the Unpatriot Act?

When Eve bit the apple, sin was created. Its all part of Gods plan.

I dunno nicki, I get stuck with this stuff to. It valmost seems like a paradox