My very eclectic and a 'poco loco' landlord mentioned recently that she was praying for the "greatest good." Now, she said this in relation to finding successful, nice, compatible renters for the unoccupied upstairs apartment in the duplex where I live (need a pet friendly apartment in NE? Call me, Dahling!).
Thinking about praying for the "Greatest Good" is pretty interesting (and a bit perplexing!) when you start to think about it - or at least when you start to think about it in relation to any specific problem. In this case, for example, what if the true 'greatest good' was that the place burned down so that a home for disabled children could be built? Or what if the greatest good means that she won't find renters for that apartment for several months?
My delightfully quirky and granola landlord insists that this thinking is perpetuating the "energy of fear and doubt" and that praying for the greatest good "contains the vibration of success". She also says, that the answer to my 'energy of fear and doubt' is "Faith! Buh-LEEVE!"
I am very willful. Stubborn. Obstinate. And I'm REALLY bossy - so it chokes me everytime I say "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Hey! What if I don't like God's will? Huh? What if I have a better idea? How about *MY* will be done? Could we try that for a while?
I suspect that I choke on this partly because I am currently unemployed, and have been (mostly) unemployed since last September. Many very well-meaning people have tried to comfort me with assurances that God just has something else in mind for me, that the right door or window just hasn't opened yet. I long to have that kind of faith and that kind of calm acceptance. I'm impatient. I'd like it a whole lot if God could just get on with it, because what I'd really like is a PAYCHECK and HEALTH INSURANCE. It might not be the GREATEST good, but it'd be pretty darn good! Darn-it!
So, for the moment, I will continue to pray like I'm writing a letter to Santa: "Dear God! I've been a very good girl! Can I please have a JOB for Christmas? "
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I too often find it hard to accept the idea that we are living in the context of God's plan. It gets me thinking uncomfortably about Voltaire's Candide - "the best of all possible worlds," right? It's hard not to think hey, even I could do better than this if I were running things.
Cathie raises the age-old questions about understanding God. I am more lazy than that. I assume we are a work in progress. I am not one of those who thiksd God has a plan, because that is predestination, which is a major league tenant that I didagree with n my own denomionatink the Presbys. They are phasing it out. If there is God's plan, then there is not a Holy Spirit, and it makes no sense to pray. to add our vibe to the mix. We can't predict the futr, and I think God wants it to be an open door.
Post a Comment