There are willful and unwilling Bad Choices, or to say it more precisely there are deliberate bad choices and unintentional poor choices. The first is due to known, willful disobedience; the second is due to our limitations - i.e. our being finite.
As finite beings with limitations, making the best choice based on what we know may not, in fact, be the best choice or even possible. It may not be according to all there is to know about that choice. Since we aren't all-knowing but finite, we make the best choice we can with what we *know.
The beauty about choice, for a child of God, is God uses all possible options -- good and bad -- for our good. He lets us reap the consequences of deliberate bad choices so we might turn from them -- repent. He redeems the unintentional poor choices so we might learn to seek and trust Him more in everything we do. At the 30,000 foot view there are no bad choices, even though on the ground there is.
If we are willfully disbedient it is because we do not yet believe the direction we are given is truly what is best for us. But even when we're not convinced by or through our own understanding, if we trust the one giving the direction, we will pursue it - i.e. we trust his understanding is perfect, complete, even though ours is not.
We will want to go the right direction either because we are convinced within our selves, through first-hand experience, it is the right course or because we trust the one giving direction, even when we don't know first hand it is the right course. The beauty of this is we no longer have to know everything to do the right thing because we know the one who does.
Distrust in another can be due to our not believing the other knows the right course, has the ability or resources to pull it off or because we don't believe the other wants the right and best course for us. In the case of God, He knows all things, has unlimited power and resources and only acts out of love, so all issues are addressed in the direction He gives us.
For a further discussion on the dilemma of being finite click here
For a further discussion on God using all things for our good click here
*The value of having greater knowledge is it helps ensure we make the best choices. The more we know, the better the chance we have in choosing the better course of action -- in making an informed choice. However better yet is knowing the one who knows everything is committed to our highest good. The issue now is whether we trust that person.
As finite beings with limitations, making the best choice based on what we know may not, in fact, be the best choice or even possible. It may not be according to all there is to know about that choice. Since we aren't all-knowing but finite, we make the best choice we can with what we *know.
The beauty about choice, for a child of God, is God uses all possible options -- good and bad -- for our good. He lets us reap the consequences of deliberate bad choices so we might turn from them -- repent. He redeems the unintentional poor choices so we might learn to seek and trust Him more in everything we do. At the 30,000 foot view there are no bad choices, even though on the ground there is.
If we are willfully disbedient it is because we do not yet believe the direction we are given is truly what is best for us. But even when we're not convinced by or through our own understanding, if we trust the one giving the direction, we will pursue it - i.e. we trust his understanding is perfect, complete, even though ours is not.
We will want to go the right direction either because we are convinced within our selves, through first-hand experience, it is the right course or because we trust the one giving direction, even when we don't know first hand it is the right course. The beauty of this is we no longer have to know everything to do the right thing because we know the one who does.
Distrust in another can be due to our not believing the other knows the right course, has the ability or resources to pull it off or because we don't believe the other wants the right and best course for us. In the case of God, He knows all things, has unlimited power and resources and only acts out of love, so all issues are addressed in the direction He gives us.
For a further discussion on the dilemma of being finite click here
For a further discussion on God using all things for our good click here
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*The value of having greater knowledge is it helps ensure we make the best choices. The more we know, the better the chance we have in choosing the better course of action -- in making an informed choice. However better yet is knowing the one who knows everything is committed to our highest good. The issue now is whether we trust that person.
