The bigger picture

How many of us get so caught up in our own selfish needs and desires that we turn to God and pray for the outcomes in life that we wish so desperately to have? How many of us actually ever look beyond our own fullfillments and try to accept and give in to Gods greater plan?

Many times in life I have sat crying simply asking "why God?" and not understanding the pain of the moment, refusing to open my eyes to the greatness of a larger plan. Looking back on past painfull times and other cries of wondering why I can now see years later the reasons and benifits of those times. I can see the greater plan.

Yet time and time again when pain and hardships fall it's a natural reaction to feel somehow let down by God. Well I am learning the very difficult task of having faith in the unknown. That we don't have the ability to forsee the future or the ability to always know which path is the best way to get clear of the forrest.

Originally posted by mokko
How many of us get so caught up in our own selfish needs and desires that we turn to God and pray for the outcomes in life that we wish so desperately to have? How many of us actually ever look beyond our own fullfillments and try to accept and give in to Gods greater plan?

Many times in life I have sat crying simply asking "why God?" and not understandi ...[text shortened]... the future or the ability to always know which path is the best way to get clear of the forrest.

To be frank, Mokko, I muddle through. I have no sense of a “greater plan.” I am tending to become more and more Taoist in my approach these days—something to do with trying to discern a path with harmony. If I learn anything along the way that seems like it might be helpful to another, I share it—regardless of what religious or philosophical school it comes from—because others have done that for me.

That we don't have the ability to forsee the future or the ability to always know which path is the best way to get clear of the forrest.

I, too, have become more serene about this. As I say, I muddle through as best I can, and I don’t beat up on myself much when I make a wrong turn. Meister Eckhart, a Christian mystic, had these lovely words about discerning the path:

“The path is joyful and pleasant and easy and familiar.”

By “joyful” he means a transitory happiness, but a deeper sense of harmony. By “easy”—I don’t know; the path often seems strewn with rocks and brambles; but the Taoists talk about finding the “watercourse way,” the path of least resistance—which does not mean the “path” of giving in, or letting someone else push you around; but it does mean that you can walk around some of those rocks and thorn-bushes rather than trying to plow through them.

Maybe that’s an easy platitude, but I’ve always liked it.

BTW, I like that phrase: "Attitude in progress!"

This reminds me of the "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" song.

"Row, row, row your boat"

Keep at it. As long as you're continually working towards a goal, you'll eventually get there.

"gently down the stream"

Take it easy. Sometimes we hit rapids and we have to bear down and get through them. Usually, life is as easy or difficult as we choose to make it. It's all about the decisions we make.

"merrily, merrily, merrily, merily"

Don't take things too seriously. Just do the best you can and don't sweat the small stuff. A sense of humor is golden.

"Life is but a dream."

This life is after all a dream. We are on this Earth for a few short years, and then the eternal awaits us. Always put things in perspective.

Hope this helps, God bless. 🙂

Does it all boil down to happily trudging along? I can't help but feel the whole of the world is intertwined with connections. I refuse to see the logic in random chance but have grown to believe that there is meaning and reasons for everything.

There are things that will become a repeated theme in life and will grow in strength until they simply can no longer be ignored and need to be faced and addressed. Our path will not alter no matter how many detours we take. Our lessons will not get any easier in life unless we are willing to learn them.

I hear people denounce God all the time when faced with moments of great pain in life. Not defining God as anything outside of a higher power that resides in us all. But it's not God who fails us at these moments of great adversity it is us who fails God. It's us who refuse to see beyond anything but our own personal agenda.

In learning to let go of my need for complete control of the universe I have been humbled greatly. And I have come to realise that God has not forsaken me in my time of great pain but walks beside me and offers comfort to those who will openly accept it. Well that's my little rant for the day. My little take on the bigger picture beyond what we fail to comprehend.

Originally posted by mokko
Does it all boil down to happily trudging along? I can't help but feel the whole of the world is intertwined with connections. I refuse to see the logic in random chance but have grown to believe that there is meaning and reasons for everything.

There are things that will become a repeated theme in life and will grow in strength until they simply can no l ...[text shortened]... little rant for the day. My little take on the bigger picture beyond what we fail to comprehend.

"Does it all boil down to happily trudging along?"

Why shouldn't it?

"I can't help but feel the whole of the world is intertwined with connections."

Yes, I believe this to. This all relates to the choices we make.

"Our path will not alter no matter how many detours we take. Our lessons will not get any easier in life unless we are willing to learn them."

I still say it's easier with a sense of humor. 🙂

"In learning to let go of my need for complete control of the universe I have been humbled greatly. And I have come to realize that God has not forsaken me in my time of great pain but walks beside me and offers comfort to those who will openly accept it."

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. I'm glad you've gotten over your obsession to control the universe. 😀

BTW, what's with the spider? I thought the eye was much sexier.

Originally posted by The Chess Express
"Does it all boil down to happily trudging along?"

Why shouldn't it?

"I can't help but feel the whole of the world is intertwined with connections."

Yes, I believe this to. This all relates to the choices we make.

"Our path will not alter no matter how many detours we take. Our lessons will not get any easier in life unless we a ...[text shortened]... to control the universe. 😀

BTW, what's with the spider? I thought the eye was much sexier.

I agree that it's all made bearable with a sense of humour! even if you are laughing through the tears it's better than the alternative which is to wallow in complete darkness and become swallowed up in a pit of despair. That's just simply no fun.

well if my spiders not sexy I had better change it. 😉

Originally posted by mokko
I agree that it's all made bearable with a sense of humour! even if you are laughing through the tears it's better than the alternative which is to wallow in complete darkness and become swallowed up in a pit of despair. That's just simply no fun.

well if my spiders not sexy I had better change it. 😉

Thanks. I like it! 🙂

Originally posted by mokko
How many of us get so caught up in our own selfish needs and desires that we turn to God and pray for the outcomes in life that we wish so desperately to have? How many of us actually ever look beyond our own fullfillments and try to accept and give in to Gods greater plan?

Many times in life I have sat crying simply asking "why God?" and not understandi ...[text shortened]... the future or the ability to always know which path is the best way to get clear of the forrest.

You made me have a big think and you are so right 🙂

Originally posted by vistesd
To be frank, Mokko, I muddle through. I have no sense of a “greater plan.” I am tending to become more and more Taoist in my approach these days—something to do with trying to discern a path with harmony. If I learn anything along the way that seems like it might be helpful to another, I share it—regardless of what religious or philosophical school it com ...[text shortened]... easy platitude, but I’ve always liked it.

BTW, I like that phrase: "Attitude in progress!"

Following the path of least resistance leads you down a certain trail, but that trail might lead to a cliff. Sometimes you have to climb a tree to see if you are getting anywhere, assuming you have an idea where you want to go in the first place ...

Originally posted by mokko
How many of us get so caught up in our own selfish needs and desires that we turn to God and pray for the outcomes in life that we wish so desperately to have? How many of us actually ever look beyond our own fullfillments and try to accept and give in to Gods greater plan?

Many times in life I have sat crying simply asking "why God?" and not understandi ...[text shortened]... the future or the ability to always know which path is the best way to get clear of the forrest.

Why do you care in the slightest about "God's greater plan"?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Why do you care in the slightest about "God's greater plan"?

Some of us believe that it includes us. 😉

Originally posted by KneverKnight
Following the path of least resistance leads you down a certain trail, but that trail might lead to a cliff. Sometimes you have to climb a tree to see if you are getting anywhere, assuming you have an idea where you want to go in the first place ...

Well said.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Why do you care in the slightest about "God's greater plan"?

Because sometimes in life people feel like God has deserted them in their moments of great pain. In those moments we often become consumed with grief, lonliness and sorrow. Once we become more aware of our own smallness and Gods greater plan only then can we become to feel less deserted and more comforted. God does not punish us with acts of painfull events in our lives, he comforts us through our pain and asks that we have faith in him as an all knowing power within the universe. Our own pain is trivial and even providing of a greater purpose further down the road. I care about Gods greater plan because I know that the pain I feel in the moment is to serve a greater good in the future. It's the knowledge in this that makes the painfull moments more bareable.

Originally posted by sasquatch672
Sometimes it's hard to remember to do, but I especially try and thank God for the hard days, because there are lots of people who would kill to have one of my hard days.

That's a good way to put things in perspective.