Thanking God FOR everything?

[Nessa]

Long time, no see (and technically being online, still no see ha)

I recently borrowed a book 'Power in praise' Merlin Carothers. The same guy who wrote the book about prison and praise.

After a few pages, the author seems to promote thanking God for conditions e.g alcoholism. Therefore, concluding God is responsible for everything. I didn't feel right about this kind of reasoning and gave the book back. I felt the person was miffed I didn't agree with it and accused me of not reading about different points of view based solely on this

Anyway, I challenged them on how there is a difference between thanking God for what good He can bring out of evil than actually thanking God for the evil itself.

What do you guys think?

[Philip]

Long time, no see (and technically being online, still no see ha)

I recently borrowed a book 'Power in praise' Merlin Carothers. The same guy who wrote the book about prison and praise.

After a few pages, the author seems to promote thanking God for conditions e.g alcoholism. Therefore, concluding God is responsible for everything. I didn't feel right about this kind of reasoning and gave the book back. I felt the person was miffed I didn't agree with it and accused me of not reading about different points of view based solely on this

Anyway, I challenged them on how there is a difference between thanking God for what good He can bring out of evil than actually thanking God for the evil itself.

What do you guys think?

Hi, Ness - good to hear from you.

Without reading the book, I can't say for sure. However, I do know that God causes NO one to do ANY sin. As for something like alcoholism, it's both a spiritual and physical temptation, which some are highly susceptible to. We ALL have a fallen nature, even as Christians, we are still human - and so we're going to have all manner of sinful things that tempt us. But, God tempts NO one. The Apostle Paul references some manner of (mysterious) oppression ("a thorn") God allowed him, in 2 Corinthians 2:12, to keep him humble and depending upon His grace to do so - this, after having seen a vision of Heaven. Now, sometimes God brings us consequences for our sin - but WE caused Him to do this (per our sin). And, as He loves us, He sometimes corrects us. But God doesn't cause OUR wrongful actions.

I think a better response would be to thank God for the DEPENDENCY we need to lean upon Him for whenever we face some great trial or difficulty - whether we caused it or not. And, as noted, many of these difficulties are the result of our own bad actions and decisions. God decreed King David would suffer ongoing, horrific consequences per his sin with Bathsheba, a married woman. But God also used the free (and evil) choices of others to oppress David, as a consequence of his sin. It is GOOD when God corrects us - because He wants to change, restore and forgive us - and it reminds us of how much we need Him to resist sin as we go forward. But I don't think we thank God for our sinful actions that caused Him to allow the consequences for. And if it's whatever medical condition - how would we know GOD caused it? Could be a good book with a bit of flawed theology or reasoning in it?

Go to this link of reviews on the book (https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/ ... filter-bar) - see the top review on the page (by Desert Sage) - he seems to be getting at what you have concerns about and what I was getting at as well.

[Nessa]

There doesn't seem to be a like button on your post?
So *like*.

Thanks for the post and link to reviews. It helps.

I had brought up Joseph being thankful for being fruitful in his suffering (and not thanking God for the evil etc) to this person. However, they came back with saying 'Who brought Joseph to Eygpt?'. Implying that that means God was responsible for everything that happened.

[Philip]

Nessa wrote: I had brought up Joseph being thankful for being fruitful in his suffering (and not thanking God for the evil etc) to this person. However, they came back with saying 'Who brought Joseph to Eygpt?'. Implying that that means God was responsible for everything that happened.
Top

Yep, there are a lot of half-baked assertions around about what is theologically sound - and so, it's good to question them. Generally, I find it's not terribly effective to TELL people they have some skewed belief, but more so to ask them strategic questions that at least have the potential to stimulate a person to reconsider FOR THEMSELVES their false statement of belief. Or, perhaps ask them, "Have you ever studied this or that passage, as it would seem to contradict your contention?" Whenever people are entrenched in whatever false belief, so often they are so emotionally attached to it that facts will matter little to them. But, if you can stimulate them to consider for themselves aspects they may well have never thought or known about, it MIGHT eventually cause them to reconsider - that is, IF truth actually matters to them.