Does God Affect Results?

[Anonymous]

They problem I have is when I accept God intervenes in my life to ease pain or bring joy, I discount all those who God did not seem to help.

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[Anonymous]

They’re are times I believe God affects results, like when times he’s intervened in my life to protect me from physical danger. Other times, not always so sure. Even after having a faith transition, I do believe he affects results in some cases with peoples lives, while other times I’m sure not sure either with other people.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I watched the movie ‘The Cokeville Miracle’ a while back (it was well received in Mormon circles but I thought it stunk) and I just had to keep asking myself the question, Where was this God during Sandy Hook?

I think we should be really careful about ascribing the (rare) good things to God, while giving Him a pass on all the bad things. That’s not really a God I can get behind.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have similar thoughts about those miracle shows, I’m not a fan. I think of “casting pearls before swine” I don’t think those experiences should be dramatized and presented to the world because it then becomes a “proof” or a club to be used on unbelievers.

[Anonymous]

Is there value in hoping God does intervene sometimes, trusting He knows when the right times are? Or is that hope just too much expectation that leads to disappointment?

[Anonymous]

Heber13 wrote:

Is there value in hoping God does intervene sometimes, trusting He knows when the right times are? Or is that hope just too much expectation that leads to disappointment?

I am ok believing that God can intervene sometimes. I am not ok believing that I can influence when and where God intervenes. If I were to believe that then every time I need God to intervene and He doesn’t that would become my failure for not trying hard enough/ being righteous enough to gain God’s favor. I will not sacrifice my sense of self worth to that particular belief.

Just my $.02

[Anonymous]

Heber13 wrote:

Is there value in hoping God does intervene sometimes, trusting He knows when the right times are? Or is that hope just too much expectation that leads to disappointment?

That is a dang good question. I wish we could discuss that in Advanced Gospel Discussions class in Sunday School (Oh how I wish there was a class).

[Anonymous]

Joni wrote:

My husband and I watched the movie ‘The Cokeville Miracle’ a while back (it was well received in Mormon circles but I thought it stunk) and I just had to keep asking myself the question, Where was this God during Sandy Hook?

I have a similar view of the movie 17 Miracles. The Willie and Martin handcart companies only needed one miracle: for Brigham Young to NOT divert the supply team that was already coming to relieve them!

Heber13 wrote:

Is there value in hoping God does intervene sometimes, trusting He knows when the right times are? Or is that hope just too much expectation that leads to disappointment?

Reminds me of a story I heard once in Elder’s Quorum – as a teenager, one of the Elders had a severely disabled father. He’d received multiple blessings but nothing helped. Then they got a new home teacher. On the first visit, the home teacher declared that he knew why the father hadn’t been healed – the reason was that the people giving the blessings didn’t have the faith to heal him. But the family was in luck, he said, because this new home teach DID have the faith to heal the father. Right there in the visit, he offered a priesthood blessing commanding the father to be cured. As you may imagine, the father remained disabled, and the home teacher left awkwardly.

I heard another similar story of missionaries giving a blessing to a dying man. They declared it was God’s will that he pass peacefully and they released him from this life. Imagine their surprise when he showed up at Church on Sunday. He’d had a miraculous recovery and lived after that for many years.

These stories depress me, and I know they aren’t rare. They just aren’t very share-worthy within the Church. I can’t imagine how these experiences, where innocent and worthy priesthood bearers declare the will of God in full faith, only to have the blessing rejected… I can’t imagine how they can be considered a GOOD thing. If a priesthood bearer can’t feel confidence in declaring the will of God, then the blessing is somewhat pointless, because the only thing to be said is “Whatever God wants will happen”. If you feel comfort, it’s because God wanted it. Died a slow and painful death? God willed it. Otherwise, you’re going to end up with a lot of situations where people feel disappointment, embarrassment, guilt, and shame.

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