A Message from God?
Posted on | February 20, 2013 | 8 Comments
Tay and I are both religious, but probably not as devoted as we should be. I am Catholic. Catholicism is a part of my identity and a piece of me that will never change. I align with the church in almost all aspects (except a few things..particular the stance against gay marriage), and one of my heroes is the late Father David who was a huge part of my life growing up. Tay is Presbyterian by birth but considering converting to Catholicism. We were married in the Catholic church. We try to go to church most Sundays, but with work travel and company and such, we make excuses far too often. We are a work in progress, but a marriage built on faith.
My mother and I always joke about “Catholic Voodoo.” Of course, it’s not a real “thing,” but it’s our only explanation for dreams and premonitions we both occasionally have. We have dreams about relatives that have passed and “feelings” that tend to surface before something good or bad happens. When someone is struggling about something, we just know. We can read people like no one I know, and our first impressions are generally absolutely correct. We avoid psychics like the plague, but we have our own intuitive nature.
Which is why I feel the need to write about the weirdest thing that happened just a couple nights ago.
Tay and I usually go to bed at the same time, but I stay up and read or blog or play “Scramble with Friends” while he passes out almost immediately. Seeing as how he gets up at 5:00AM or before most days, this situation is no surprise. The other night, Tay was asleep while I was matching up the word, “waiter” on my current game. Let me tell you something; Tay has always been a sleep-talker. But usually, he makes no sense. He’ll sometimes leap out of bed only to realize he’s dreaming, but generally the words he says resemble something like, “Did the goldfish poop on the red?” So, I usually just pat his back and tell him to go the ‘eff to sleep. But in that moment, he sat up and asked, “Did you read 1 Corothians 10:13?”
I replied, “Honey, what are you talking about?”
He laid his head back down and sighed. “Oh, sorry. I was just dreaming.”
For reference, Taylor has never mentioned Bible passages in his sleep. And while we discuss religion every now and then, it’s incredibly rare that we would reference a passage even while awake. I was shaken by his words, and they have stuck with me for a few days. He doesn’t remember his dream, but he said that his only explanation was that maybe he was dreaming about an old Bible Study class.
If you’re not familiar, the passage reads:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
If you’re not familiar with Biblical linguistics, temptation doesn’t necessarily always mean an enticement of sin. In the Bible, it can also be translated into a “trial or tribulation.” Any kind of mountain to climb or tragedy or problem put in your path. This excerpt is a passage that basically says that God will get you through any burden or trial and won’t lay more on you than you can handle. Comforting. But also a passage I’ve always struggled with for various reasons.
See…I don’t believe God puts us through bad things. I don’t believe he takes a child from a mother. I don’t believe he causes a Soldier to die. I don’t believe he is the reason behind car wrecks. I don’t believe he wants us to hurt. I don’t believe he lays any burdens on us. Maybe tests of patience and kindness. Maybe lessons of understanding and acceptance. But not pain. So this passage has always struck a nerve in me because I don’t believe our God is the God who would put someone through horrible sadness to test Faith. I’m not saying I don’t believe this passage, only that I’ve never been really sure how to take it. It’s one that has always rolled around in my mind without finding a real steady ground.
So where does that leave me? With God sending me a message to trust in him more? Or a random dream of Taylor’s? I’m not sure. But I can’t help but be touched by the words and left thinking over them…
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8 Responses to “A Message from God?”
"I'm a twenty-five-year old mama to two little boys and married to the love of my life. I have a serious Diet Coke addiction and a tendency to overshare. My biggest dream is to write a book. A good book that tons of people buy and relate to and love. In the mean time, this is the story of us as we flounder through raising our wild, little boys, moving a million times, and buying and renovating our 1968 Ranch home."
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February 20th, 2013 @ 9:12 pm
the Holy Spirit often speaks through dreams
You might consider that there is a difference between God *permitting* something to happen (as a result of sin – either personal sin or the fact that we live in a sinful, fallen world) that HE might bring good and grace *from* it and God actively willing something bad/sinful to happen.
The later of course is impossible for God is perfect Goodness and thus never wills sinful/evil things.
However, He’s often “stuck” so to speak bringing goodness from our mistakes.
After all, as St. Thomas Aquinas said, even original sin was worked for good – O Happy Fault, that wrought for us so great a Redeemer! Only with God’s grace can one twist original sin on its head into something positive!
Sally Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Thanks for chiming in, Lina! I was hoping you would. I meant to add that I do believe that he is there to bring us peace and understanding from bad events, but I just got sidetracked.
February 20th, 2013 @ 9:54 pm
Hey Sally!
I sometimes read your blog (when I’m supposed to be studying), but I have never commented.
I do feel lead to comment on this post, though! I think you and Taylor went to First Pres here in Columbia for a little while (I saw your photo on the wall of members when I first started going). I have really enjoyed Dr. Ferguson’s teaching. I am a Baptist by upbringing and now attend a small non-denominational community church in Columbia called Riverside (for those interested).
I’m not extremely familiar with the entirety of Catholic beliefs, but I, as a Baptist-who-attends-a-nondenominational-church always find it helpful to turn to scripture when I have questions. I wholeheartedly believe that the Word is where we, as believers, build our relationship with God and get to know him better. That being said, I thought I’d share some thoughts on this topic you brought up because I have struggled with wondering how or why God could allow suffering.
To say God doesn’t permit terrible things to happen is to say either 1) he is not omnipotent, or 2) he is not loving. This is a hard subject to tackle, and I don’t know if it can be answered/understood on this earth in anyone’s lifetime. It does help me to think, though, that God actually did permit his Son to die on the cross for our sins. He could have stopped it. Jesus even begged him to stop it (Luke 22:42). But he didn’t. He let it happen. He watched his Son being beaten, tortured, spit on, stabbed, and crucified. He didn’t stop it. Because he knew it would bring many sons to glory. He had a reason and a purpose for letting his Son suffer on the cross. He has a reason and a purpose for everything, and that is to bring glory to Himself (Ephesians 1:5). He actually sent us Jesus as an example, as He says specifically – an example in suffering (1 Peter 2:21). Believers are sent to suffer. That’s hard for me to wrap my mind around, but it gives me peace to know that through suffering, I can glorify God (1 Peter 2:20). On top of that, any suffering I could endure in this life (a car accident, my child dying, even my own death) is temporary, since God is calling me to His eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10). In heaven, there will be no more suffering!
So…it is very hard for me sometimes to see the hate and hurt going on in the world and accept that God allows it. Whenever I feel heavy hearted, I remember that suffering in this world is only temporary for believers, and I remember Isaiah 55:9 – “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
If you have any questions about what I’ve said (or just want to chat!), please don’t hesitate to give me a shout – lawrenevelyn@gmail.com. By the way, your family is beautiful!
This is a nice resource:
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/is-god-for-us-or-for-himself
And this is one of my favorite passages right now:
“Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
-1 Peter 2:18-24
Sally Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Hey Lawren! Thank you for you comment! I don’t think I was clear. It’s not that I don’t think God allows things to happen, but that he doesn’t “cause” bad things to happen. As in, when there is a terrible car wreck, he’s not the one pushing the car off the road. Does that make sense?
I think our job is to find peace in God when there are terrible acts, and he is there to comfort us.
February 20th, 2013 @ 11:07 pm
I think you would like ‘the shack’ novel. it addresses what you are talking about, and makes perfect sense.
February 21st, 2013 @ 2:27 pm
I memorized this scripture when I was in high school. I’m going to take comfort in this scripture today, knowing that whatever trials are coming my way, I will be able to overcome them. God will help me through them and will carry the burden of my sorrows if I turn to Him.
I believe that trials allow us to exercise real Faith. But, not only that, they refine us. Pain and trials are the “Refiner’s fire”. We are like silver, and in order to be refined we must endure the heat and flames. But when we emerge we are stronger, purer, and more beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this. This is something I really needed reminding of today.
February 22nd, 2013 @ 8:44 am
Wow Sal! That is the verse i claimed for Tay and his brothers years ago. Tay knew this but i am sure he had forgotten over the years..but his conscience never has! Proof that the power of prayer works. I have always had the same feelings about my intuition and being able to read people. I think it is a gift ! Xoxoxo
February 22nd, 2013 @ 10:45 pm
Wow Sal! That is the verse i claimed for Tay and his brothers years ago. Tay knew this but i am sure he had forgotten over the years..but his conscience never has! Proof that the power of prayer works. I have always had the same feelings about my intuition and being able to read people. I think it is a gift ! XoxoxoS