My only hesitation whenever I hear people staunchly defending anything by using scripture is the fear that they are so caught up with what they THINK God is saying in scripture that they won't hear what God is placing in their hearts

When one feels that one way is the only possible way

with no possibility of any other option

your faith, I believe, is not that strong

you have to open yourself to other possibilities so your faith can truly operate...it can come into those decision making points and validate for you where you belong without fear

(not that anyone is not doing this)

I worry about those people who stay still...who stand without movement and use God as their excuse for no growth, for unhappiness, for not opening up their heart to love others...if you are called to stand, you are called to stand. If you are called to be celibate, you are called to be so. If God calls you for other things, you also need to be open to that call...even if it might not gel with what you thought before.


For example...

My grandparents were married for forever and my grandpa died of a stroke when I was in 9th grade (forever ago) My grandma could have met someone else...but she was married to my grandpa who remained almost as much alive as he ever was...alive all through that house, in everything my grandma did...their love was there.

I was married and had 2 children with a pretty abusive guy. I love my children and believe they are truly gifts from God. God gave me to them and them to me. I am not married to that guy anymore. I am with someone else. Someone who I believe God designed me to meet when I met as we are matched because of what we have been through. Because of who we became, we have become the people we need to be for each other (if that makes sense)

I do not believe I was meant to be with ex-husband (2nd ex is a diagnosed sociopath...I sure can pick them huh?) Which is my point...I picked the 1st two and finally gave up and let God decide

So

My whole point here is

God has a big plan
and
you have to be a part of the whole darn thing

you can't decide to pick and chose the parts to be a part of

I wish I would have understood God's lessons without all the pain of having Him have to really smack me upside the head with some of them
but
if He didn't smack me upside the head
then
this other path wouldn't have opened
which wouldn't have led me here

so

be open and willing to see other paths God is putting before you so He doesn't have to keep smacking you upside the head

(guess that last sentence is all that needed to be said)