Understanding the Ways of God

Understanding the Ways of God

Originally published in 2005

INTRODUCTION

We received a letter from one of our faithful readers which had some questions that we considered of Universal interest and importance. This particular writer's situation will certainly differ from yours, however, the questions/concerns posed apply to a multitude of situations.

Therefore, we have turned the letter and our response into a new document - Understanding the Ways of God.

For ease of understanding and keeping each point in focus, our answers may be found within the text of the letter. The letter will be shown in italic letters while our response will be in purple bold letters.

THE LETTER and THE RESPONSE

May the peace of our Lord be upon you all at The M+G+R Foundation!

I have a question regarding suffering. When you say suffering do you mean just physical pain or all types of suffering such as emotional, stressful situations, situations out of your control?

All suffering - physical and spiritual - may be offered to God in the same manner that we have shown in our document on Redemptive Suffering. (1)

If your suffering is part of the reparation process to help other souls, is there always peace associated with it? The reason I ask is manifold.

Yes. Inner peace should be experienced if we do not allow satan to manipulate the situation. That inner peace is the product of knowing that it is the Will of God that we suffer through the particular situation.

I am experiencing extreme suffering in ways other than physical pain. My biggest suffering has to do with my sick daughter, she has been sick for 3 years now, each year getting worse and the doctors not being able to find the cause. I believe the Lord has revealed to me, through others, the cause of her pain. We live under a cell tower and all of her symptoms have totally gone away since I sent her to my sisters where she is far from cell towers and high tension power lines. I am so grateful for the answer, however it is torturing my soul, that one of my children is not with me.

It is satan who is torturing you soul. Obviously God granted you the Grace of identifying the problem and gave you a temporary solution. How to stop that "torturing"? It is quite simple - read on.

I have been looking day and night for a new home with enough acreage to insulate her from this and since my finances are so low, I have had a very hard time finding one. I don't question or doubt the Lord has this all figured out, and has just not revealed it to me, but I just can't seem to keep my anxiety level down, and it is interfering with all other aspects in my life, mostly my prayer life, and my family life.

The solution to your dilemma - and all similar dilemmas - lies in the Trilogy of Faith. First of all, Faith is granted by God upon our request. Faith is not just a "shelf item" as some Church representatives may imply by words or deeds.

However Faith - believing that there is a God - is not enough. satan knows that there is a God too! Are we then to say that satan has Faith? Of course not!

Here is where the concept of Trilogy of Faith comes in. We must pray for: (1) Faith; (2) the ability to Abandon ourselves to the Will of God; and (3) for Confidence that He will act upon our request. Most faithful are lacking parts 2 and 3 of the Trilogy, thus, they block Divine action.

Unfortunately, in far too many cases, as if that were not enough, they may even say: "I am not worthy of His favor." or "This is not important for Him to waste His time on."

What the individual is doing there, ensnared by satan, is being arrogant and telling God that His judgment is not good since the individual has judged him/herself unworthy of God's Favor and has assigned priorities to God's Agenda. Isn't that arrogance? Can you see where that came from? The Master of Arrogance - satan!

The constant worry is bogging me down especially as I see the rest of my family getting sick too; I also am tortured over what to do with my house. If I don't sell it I have no other way to buy another house, and if I don't tell others and risk not being able to sell my house, how can I explain to God how I took care of my children and let His other children suffer.

I already know the answer to this one. I am telling all I meet about this, although most people don't believe me with the exception of those I have met that are experiencing the same symptoms. There is some comfort there, as I have been able to alert another mother whose daughter is just as sick as mine. My biggest concern, though, is: Am I being thrown off track talking about cell towers?

In your situation, like in all similar situations, what is to be done is:

(1) Seek God's help for a clear definition of the problem and then a temporary solution; then

(2) Enlist His help to find the permanent solution to the problem.

How? You have already successfully completed step No. (1).

Unfortunately, instead of rejoicing for His great care for you and your family and moving on to step No. (2), you are being tortured by it, thus soiling the great Gift He has granted you. That is the fastest way for Him to stop helping you. "After all", humanly speaking He may think, "I certainly do not want to cause her any more suffering as it resulted when I granted her the first part of the solution."

He is very happy that you are totally honest with anyone who may be a potential buyer of your house; thus He would give you the final solution very soon, yet, you stumble and fumble due to satan's favorite snares, thus delaying the final solution to the problem at hand.

I also wonder if this is one of the tools that will be used for mind control. Should I forget what is happening physically to people and just concentrate on the spiritual health? It does seem right to me, perhaps I am so confused because I am caught in a snare. I only want to serve the Lord in whatever way He wishes.

Maybe it is being used for mind control, or maybe not - however, that is none of your business right now. Your business right now is to get you and your family into a safe place in accordance to His Will - therefore, focus on that!

How does one discern what the Lord is asking of us? and, Most of all, how do I effectively rid myself of all this needless worry? Especially when your brain and your soul KNOW nothing happens to us by chance or without our Lord allowing it, how do we get through this time until the Lord shows us the way?

I guess most of my worry stems from being unsure of if I am getting His signs right, I am so afraid of letting Him down, who I love above all things and people, even my daughter.

Let us take it from the top. satan cannot ensnare the manifestation of the Will of God for anyone - therefore, have absolute confidence in His Guidance. If you do not get "His signs right" then ask Him to clarify them for you.

If your loving Eternal Father would be visible to you and He would live in your house and instructed you to do something and you did not quite understand what He wanted - what would you do? You - as any human would do with a human loving father - would ask Him as many times as needed; He will patiently explain it to you in a number of different ways until you finally understood it.

The fact that you really want to do His Will gives Him Glory and makes Him very happy, so do not spoil a happy moment for God (few people give Him happy moments any more) by fretting over "just not getting it right".

I also know He has prompted me for along time to move, I was just too stubborn and weak to convince my family to do so, they have all thought me to be a little nuts as I have tried to warn them about the times we live in and the snares and traps set for us.

Well, you have heard our message that "Pain is the megaphone that God uses for the deaf to hear." (1) Obviously it took this problem for them to start waking up as you have pointed out in your next paragraph.

Thus - it is clear that He wants you and your family out. He knows your finances and other situations, better than you do, therefore, once you have done all that is within reason to sell your current property and find the next, you just turn around and place the rest in His hands so that He resolves it.

Just, do not limit God by submitting to Him a specific neighborhood, price, house plan, color, etc. etc. Man always does that - tells God exactly what His Will should be! Let Him do the choosing!

In this phase, all you do is pray and have Him confirm to you any apparent solution that comes up to ensure that it is from Him and not a snare from satan. This also pleases Him enormously. When we get back to Him, just to make sure the solution to whatever problem is from Him, we Glorify Him.

I am very grateful that all in my family are starting to come around and are turning back to the Lord, maybe not as much or as fast as I would like, but I also know God is merciful and takes us step by step. Could it be that this suffering is helping their souls?

Without a doubt, your suffering has had an impact on that. However, we must only be concerned that those who must return to the House of the Father (2) are on the right road and moving in the right general direction. The speed - that is - how fast they travel toward the Father's House, and the manner, is strictly up to Him.

If it is, it would be a big relief and would give me added strength to know in some small way it is helping our Lord's people return to Him, I would gladly suffer anything and everything for Him.

This is indeed very generous of you and Glorifies God, however, you should be willing to suffer ONLY what He deems that you should suffer and no more. Otherwise, satan would trick you into being more of a martyr than Jesus Himself. Did He not pray in the Garden [Luke 22:42]: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but your be done" ?

Thus, we must always ask first for "the cup" to be taken away, just as He showed us, but, if we must assume "the cup", we should do so with confidence that He indeed knows what is best. That does not mean: "No pain" or "No agony". It means that down deep, knowing that we are fully cooperating with Him, the flame of Joy will keep our hearts consoled - not the constant agony you are suffering.

satan knows well that you would suffer anything for God and would do anything He moves you to, therefore, his trick is to place the doubt in your heart that you are not doing enough, or not doing what is right, for the One Whom you love so.

Remember, God can and does read our hearts and if in a heart He finds the true burning desire to serve and please Him - it Will be done unless we interfere with worry. Our physical and/or intellectual ability will not interfere with our service to Him for He will make "up the difference", but needless worry and doubt, will! This is one of the favorite tricks of satan to be deployed on those who truly love God.

May God continue to Bless you and Keep you.... but remember, you must allow Him to do so!

EPILOGUE

Fourteen years later, this sister in Christ continues to be an assiduous reader and contributor to our work. Her spiritual advances have been tremendous. All that she wrote above was perfectly resolved through the Grace of God, activated by her true Faith in Him.

She has come across other major "mountains" in her journey; "mountains" that she has "moved" just as Our Lord Jesus Christ told us that we could.

For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. [Matthew 17:19]

May God continue to Bless and Keep her and continue to reward her in proportion to the Faith in Him that she has demonstrated through actions - not just words.

NOTES

(1) Suffering : Mankind's Participation in Its Own Redemption - and - Pain is the megaphone that God uses for the deaf to hear Him

(2) Do not despair! Do not give up! It is one step at a time!