Saturday 5 April 2008

It's Tough

Sometimes I think about the big decisions in life and wonder how much of them are down to Gods will and what our responsibility is. At this stage of my Christian journey i would have to say that my view on how God directs our lives has changed, but let me emphasise that first and foremost I still think he does. However, i would like to use the analogy of parents in the process of bringing up their child to explain what i think.
In the beginning, when the child is most vulnerable the parents will make all their decisions,which would be expected. But as the child gets older the parents gradually begin to teach the child about actions and consequences, and it is on this basis they begin making their decisions. And then we get to the teenage years followed by young adulthood where they are gradually given some Independence to make their own decisions, which usually culminates in them leaving home and facing the big wide world armed with the lessons from growing up. This means that life is now their responsibility, but the love and input from the parents still remains.
I wonder if there is an element of this in the Christian life as well, where God instills certain values and then lets us take more responsibility as we get older (spirituality). Of course there is still the scope for making bad decisions, but maybe they aern't because of lack direction from God, but down to the fact that we really should of known better. You may ask why i am saying this, and it would be a very good question. But all i can say is that God has instilled in me certain values, which include mission and working with other people ,and it is down to me to explore what that means in terms of the rest of my life. When i ask God about the big issues of life i have no specific indication either way, but from the way God has shaped and moulded me I at least know the direction I should be heading.