Fixed Attributes but Flexible Intentions: Following God’s Ever-Changing Directions
The Reverend Dr. Jason Curry, Columnist
An “attribute” refers to something that has been attributed to God. For example, we may speak of God as forgiving, loving and merciful based on the authority of God’s word or based on our experiences with God’s presence in our lives. Throughout scripture, God is identified as loving in (1 John 4:8), forgiving in (Colossians 3:13) or faithful in (2 Timothy 2:13), and these attributes have helped to sustain Christian communities for generations. Many Christian, theologians and laity have affirmed over the centuries that the attributes of God will never change. However, scripture often reveals and our experiences as well as discerning prayer lives often confirm that God’s intentions for our lives may change. For example, the prophet Isaiah told king Hezekiah that he would die (2 Kings 20:1); however, Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, and the Lord extended his life by 15 years (2 Kings 20:6). Theologians and laity have often confirmed that you and I often pray because we want God to change or influence God’s intentions for our lives. By faith, we believe that if God intervenes in our lives the outcome that is achieved will be in our favor. Our belief in the power of God as expressed through prayer is summed-up in the popular expression: “Prayer changes things!”
Based on my experiences in the ministry and my assessment of God’s presence in my life, I have discovered that during periods of confusion, despair, tragedy and perceived hopelessness, we sometimes confuse God’s attributes with God’s intentions. In short, we mistakenly confuse or perhaps “reverse” God’s attributes as they concern God’s intentions. For example, we mistakenly believe that God is no longer loving, forgiving or faithful and we mistakenly believe that the negative circumstances in which we find ourselves will never change. Whenever we arrive at the erroneous conclusion that God’s attributes are flexible and God’s intentions are permanent we necessarily 1) minimize the authority of God’s word, and 2) limit the influence of an all-powerful (i.e., omnipotent) God. Ultimately, God loves people (see 1 John 4:8-10), and the unconditional love (e.g., the attribute) that God has for people will not change in the midst of our ever-changing lives.
As we assume new job responsibilities, live in different cities, meet different people and engage in the new ministries, God’s intentions for our lives will change. However, God’s attributes will not for “God’s love never fails (Psalm 136:1).”
