have you ever heard someone say these things>>>

Yes I have said them all. The most useful way to address these comments is to say "Let's pray together"

And as for #5... Popeye also said this..."I am what I am, and that's all that I am"

I am fond of saying "I am how God made me" which made all the difference to me in accepting my differences.

 

Originally posted by massdak:
1. i deserve to be happy

Why?

2. why me

Why not?

3. its not my fault

Why not?

4. i never asked to be born

Are you asking to die?

5. i am what i am

What are you?

6. no body knows how bad it is

Why not?

-------------------------------------------------

These are not flippant nor nonsensical answers to your questions. I mean them in all sincerity.

If necessary, would you please answer my questions (in response to yours), and I'll be happy to discuss why I answered the way I did upon your response?

We can do it through private message; or you can private message me, and I'll send you an e-mail address.

 

I have heard those kind of comments a lot. I recently reviewed a sermon for a friend. It had some overtones of name it claim it. I told them that no where in Scripture are we promised wealth and that actually the opposite was true. I told him that it said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man. I also gave the examples of Paul and Job. Paul especially. He went through a lot of pain, discomfort and persecution. It is often seen that those who live for Christ commonly are burdened. But When I am weak, then I am strong. God is there for us when time get tough.

I do not expect a world of roses, but I do expect God to help smooth out the bumps in the road, after I have learned what I was supposed to from them.

 

i deserve to be happy
Yes. That is true. Accepting Christ doesn't make problems go away, but it makes you more able to handle your problems. The 23rd Psalm doesn't promise a life without valleys, but it does promise that even when we're in valleys, the Lord with be with us. Problems are no excuse for being unhappy, if the source of your happiness is reliance on God to tackle your problems.

why me
Because the rain falls and the sun shines on both the just and unjust.

its not my fault
No, but it may be an opportunity that God is giving you.

i never asked to be born
Nor did Jesus. Neither did he ask to be crucified. But he did it anyway. Just ask Job.

i am what i am
That's true. Above all, you're created in the image and likeness of God.

no body knows how bad it is
Except God.

[ December 04, 2002, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: Johnv ]

 

do people really deserve to be happy if so is that the main purpose in life?
Absolutely. But it also means you may need to accept God's view of happiness. It ain't plysical pleasure. It ain't emotional gratification. But it IS a life free from the bounds of destructive behavior, which is the seed of sin.

 

And I apologize for not making myself clear. I understood that "your" questions came from others; I still await an answer to the questions I responded with before I discuss further.

Yes, my mother did teach me that it's rude to answer a question with a question; but there's a method to my madness, and I'm curious to find out a little more about you.

 

True happiness is found in Christ. If you are seeking happiness in other places, don’t be surprised if you don’t find it.

Why not you? The question should not rest on the question of “why”, but instead, “what should I do in light of this situation”, be it good or bad.

Maybe it is, maybe it is not. Examine your heart. Did you do anything to contribute to the problem? If yes, repent of it, face the consequences, make it right if possible and move on. If you believe it is truly not your fault, figure out the most appropriate, grace-oriented way to respond and move on with your life.

No one did except maybe Christ. Deal with it and get on with your life.

Sounds like Popeye…

You may be what you are, but you don’t have to stay that way. Christ wants to conform you into His image.

Yes they do… And if they truly don’t (if you’ve been sucked into a jet engine *and* have had four of your toes eaten by wild weasels), then be content to know that God knows and understands your situation. Instead of moping about it, you need to play the hand you are dealt.

The main purpose of life is to know God (see John 17) and to serve each other.

I’m sorry, but I don’t know if this is a “liberal” response.

First we would have to know the definition of a “liberal” and then know if God has called any “liberals” to teach and preach…

 

Massdak, if you have had teens you have heard them all!

If you were ever a teen yourself, chances are you used them all.

By the way I disagree with Johnv about the purpose of life, but that shouldn't surprise anyone here...

 

massdak, I agree: they seem to mainly from a position of pride. Also self-serving, and seeking to flee from responsibility.

Look at Job. He had the same problem. Bad stuff started happening to him from out of the blue. The mindset at the time was "do good, and God will bless you; sin, and God will punish you." Three of Job's friends kept telling Job, "Confess your sin, and seek forgiveness." But for the life of him, Job couldn't figure out why it was happening to him, and couldn't convince his friends--because they were deep in the mindset--that he hadn't done anything to deserve God's wrath.

It was only at the end that we find out: It was all done for the glory of God. Or sometimes, as it's so eloquently put in 2 Corinthians, so that we might help others when they face the same tribulations and trials that we've faced.

I currently have a condition known as Barret's Esophagus. I allowed my acid reflux to get the better of me for more than five years, and it caused the tissue in my lower esophagus to start mutating into stomach tissue. Like most mutations, this means I'm now prone to cancer in that area of my body (I don't have cancer). I have to be "scoped" every year and I'm on Prilosec (or equivalent) every day for the rest of my life.

Why am I rejoicing? Because less than a year after I found out I had this, a young lady came to my office crying. After getting her to calm down, she told me that she had just found out her dad had Barret's Esophagus, and she had done the internet research and found out he was probably going to die from cancer. I was able to calm her fears and properly educate her, because God had seen fit to use me as a real example--just as Job is our real example.

A round-about way of answering your questions. I hope you understand.

 

So get up and on your way to McDonald's!

 

True happiness is found in Christ. If you are seeking happiness in other places, don’t be surprised if you don’t find it.

First we would have to know the definition of a “liberal” and then know if God has called any “liberals” to teach and preach…</font>[/QUOTE]baptist believer, i think you know what liberal is, parsing words is not productive, spare me your lesson on liberalism.</font>[/QUOTE]Frankly I have no clue what *you* mean by "liberalism", so the concern is a valid one. Personally, I've been branded both a "fundamentalist" and a "liberal" by others so I'm not sure if the words really have much meaning anymore... But I'll ignore your admonition if that's the way you want it.

 

Forget not the others:

We do it all for you.
Food, Folks, and Fun.
Have you had your break today?
What you want is what you get.

And the current slogan:

We love to see you smile.

 

Hold on a minute, I'm removing the arrow tip from my armor.... there, I've got it.

I guess I didn't make my point clear. Kinda forgot it was a two parter. Part 1 - do we deserve to be happy? Yes, so long as oen understand's God's definition of happiness, not our own. Oart 2 - Is that to be our main purpose in life? No, our main purpose in life is to serve the Lord. I would assert that true happiness is the result of serving Him faithfully.

 

Really? I took them to be a position of hurt. When a person feels in a way to say the things you have listed... I think it's important to take that attitude towards that person and pray with them to overcome their feelings of hopelessness and despair.

To decide that it's a position of pride and deal with them according to that non-compassionate view point I believe would make the problem worse.

Yes, any thoughts of self could be considered prideful...but take that tact when the person is not in a depressed state.

As to the McDonalds slogans that you recently stated...it's their business to want to please.

I'm going to add something here for you to ponder: When you treat a person as prideful for saying self-depricating statements such as these...that is also pride.

[ December 05, 2002, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: WisdomSeeker ]