Today I am finishing my series on my thoughts from my interview with author Mitch Albom about his book “Have a Little Faith” and the upcoming TV movie based on the book that will be on ABC Sunday, November 27th.
Three thoughts came out of my interview with Mitch:
- Faith should change our attitude.
- Responding to a crisis of faith.
- Questioning God.
Also, thanks to Hallmark Moving Pictures, I am going to be giving away two copies of “Have a Little Faith” this week.
Here’s how to enter:
- Leave a comment. (1 entry per comment)
- Tweet this: Win a copy of “Have a Little Faith” by @MitchAlbom @KevinMartineau’s blog. Details here: http://su.pr/17qSjV #giveaways (1 entry for every tweet or RT)
- For bonus entries: Google +, Digg, Like on Facebook and/or stumble this post. (1 entry for each)
- Contest closes Thursday, November 24th at 9 pm PST. I will announce the winner’s here on Friday morning at 9 am PST.
Now on to the interview!
ME: If you had only 5 minutes with God what would you ask Him? (in the Epilogue of the book Mitch asks this question of the Reb.)
MITCH ALBOM: Well the Reb’s response was to give away 4 minutes basically to other people. But now I feel like a hog if I take the whole five minutes [laughs].
Um … but if I got a minute or 2 minutes or whatever it was I would … [pause] I would ask … [pause] I would ask: Are You, are You really there with us in every decision that we make? And if You are … why do You allow us to make so many bad ones? What are we supposed to learn?
Not in a critical sense but clearly, you know, if God is all-powerful then God could stop us from doing anything. And what is the value of us being wrong so many times and hurting people and making the wrong decisions? What are we learning from it?
Is it just free will, it is just that whole story about you make the choices, I gave you everything you needed to make the right choices you just have to do so? Or is something more or are You not with us on the small decisions? Are you just here for the big ones?
You know, I guess that’s the thing I wonder. I look around at how so many people are, you know, losing their way and uh, you know, I just can’t believe that God wants that to happen so there must be a reason that He allows it to happen, you know.
And I suppose I would ask that question about children too. You know, why? When children die, you know, or they get sick, why? What aren’t we getting about that because there’s just no, you know, it is beyond my understanding. Especially to faithful people and all. Why do You bring some people home so soon? Now, um, I don’t know if He would have any answers for me but those are a couple of the big ones.
Questioning God
A year and a half ago I found myself asking a lot of these same questions when a little girl from our church was tragically killed.
Why did this tragedy happen?
Why did this happen to someone so young?
Why didn’t God stop it?
Why God? Why?
Even a year and a half later I don’t have the answers to these questions. I don’t know if there ever will be any answers.
Despite all this though, I have found comfort in one very important truth: God is good all the time.
God is good even when there is tragedy.
God is good even when I don’t understand.
God is good even when bad things happen to good people.
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!
Focusing on this important truth helps me to continue to move forward.
If you had 5 minutes with God and you could ask Him any question, what would you ask Him?
Great Poem Kev’s I appreciate this one.. it was really nice to read and see in here.
Thanks Fatima!
No prob about that Kev’s I’m always checking your site to see some really interesting and helpful to me..
Kevin, I take God seriously when it comes to music, stories and a great poem like this. Very true and powerful.
Thanks for sharing Mika!