Does God create challenges for you if you don't challenge yourself?

[Tresbn00]

Prior to having an intense work schedule, two kids, and training for an ultra-marathon I would have one thing after another happening that would have me asking "Why me?".  Now that I am seemingly too busy for problems they don't seem to crop up as frequently.  Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[Annella]

It seems to me that "when it rains, it pours".  Sometimes problems come all at once.  I'm reminded of Job when he was tested.  Before the person delivered the last bad news, there was another one running to him to deliver some more.  Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble.  We are going to have ups and down in this life.

[stokeman455]

    My mother always used to say ( God, rest her soul ) " God is aways testing your faith" Just as he did Job...      

[ladysurvivor]

We are always going to have trails and tribulations in our life time. That is what builds our faith and trust and believe in God. I have had plenty trails, etc and didn't enjoy what I went through, but I know that my faith grew each time.

[mstachitus]

Yes and no.

Some of life challenges come naturally.  I don't believe God puts everything in our way, but he does use those things to help us learn and grow, if we choose to let him help us.

Some things come as a direct result of our poor choices.  For instance, when we smoke, we get addicted.  God didn't give us our addiction; it came as a direct result of our choosing to smoke.

Some trials come as a direct result of what other people do.  We have our agency, and even when we choose correctly, others (who also have their agency) might choose poorly, and that can often be disastrous for us.  Murder, rape, theft, etc; God didn't do that, people exercised their God-given agency and caused bad things to happen.  Again, God can help mold these instances for our benefit and learning.

When we pray for strength, patience, charity, etc., these are the times I feel that God gives us those trials to test us, to help us learn from those trials and increase those Christlike attributes.  Let's face it, if we pray for humility, God will humble us.  I don't think it is in the program for us to magically gain whatever we pray for.

Even if we don't pray for it, God may "test" us by sending a little challenge now and again, but I think most trials are not sent by God, but used by God for our learning and experience.

[Annella]

Yes and no.

Some of life challenges come naturally.  I don't believe God puts everything in our way, but he does use those things to help us learn and grow, if we choose to let him help us.

Some things come as a direct result of our poor choices.  For instance, when we smoke, we get addicted.  God didn't give us our addiction; it came as a direct result of our choosing to smoke.

Some trials come as a direct result of what other people do.  We have our agency, and even when we choose correctly, others (who also have their agency) might choose poorly, and that can often be disastrous for us.  Murder, rape, theft, etc; God didn't do that, people exercised their God-given agency and caused bad things to happen.  Again, God can help mold these instances for our benefit and learning.

When we pray for strength, patience, charity, etc., these are the times I feel that God gives us those trials to test us, to help us learn from those trials and increase those Christlike attributes.  Let's face it, if we pray for humility, God will humble us.  I don't think it is in the program for us to magically gain whatever we pray for.

Even if we don't pray for it, God may "test" us by sending a little challenge now and again, but I think most trials are not sent by God, but used by God for our learning and experience.

Excellent post.

[tzs]

No, Life creates challanges for you, not a fictional being!

[ly_fn]

hmm, I hope I can know what is the real answer.

[Brichmon]

Everyday all day , its just a test of might and wits

[SCarter984]

I think our challenges come from the choices we make, and God gave us that "free will".  It might be an excellent choice at the moment, but at the same time other people are making choices that may directly effect your expected outcome.  Since our world is in constant movement and change sometimes we just have to take the good with the bad and use all that we go through as something to learn from.

[Annella]

No, Life creates challanges for you, not a fictional being!

I thought you believed in God.  Unless I have you mixed up with someone else.

[tzs]

No, Life creates challanges for you, not a fictional being!

I thought you believed in God.  Unless I have you mixed up with someone else.

OHHH Hell no! I believe in tangible objects.

[marieelissa]

I don't see why not but I wish he would stop.

[mstachitus]

No, Life creates challanges for you, not a fictional being!

I thought you believed in God.  Unless I have you mixed up with someone else.

OHHH Hell no! I believe in tangible objects.

Oh, so you believe in Hell? 

[samrhett2]

Interesting question.  Last week I had a problem that had me so upset I could barely think.  I tried many different ways to solve the problem but everywhere I turned I ran into a roadblock.  In fact, it was unbelievable the things that happened that kept me from correcting the problem.  I finally got the feeling that God was telling me to stop trying to fix it and instead have faith that He would take care of me.   I just decided to stop trying to solve it and let the bad thing happen.  Guess what?  The situation did resolve itself by a series of very strange turn of events.  Sorry, not trying to be cryptic, but it was a situation that I am not comfortable disclosing.

Let's just say that there were too many strange circumstances for it not to be a message to me that I need to stop trying to play God and have more faith that He has my back.