I know I have posted about this before, a long time ago, but it is one of those perennials that pops up now and then, that is, how readily we delude ourselves in interpreting experience.  On Sunday someone commented that God was 'blocking' something from happening that they did not wish to occur.  The person is very sincere, but it is indicative of a theological approach I find troubling.  If what we want to happen happens, it is God's will, if it doesn't, it is Satan.  If what we don't want to happen doesn't happen, God is blocking it, if it does, Satan (presumably) is attacking.  The trouble with these perspectives is that they fail to recognise or allow for the human element, that we can be wrong in our understanding and wilful or sinful in our choices and actions.  It also seems to reflect an instant everything culture where God-the-genie reacts to a correctly formulated request for boons to be granted.  Another less than helpful response if the "if it's Godly it will be a struggle because Satan will try to block it."  Sometimes I wonder if we ever stop to think about the image of God we work with.

All of which leads me to ponder the scary, arrogant spoutings of evangelist Pat Robertson regarding events in Haiti and an amusing and thoughtful post here

Not easy to get it right, but may we be granted the courage to try and humility to accept we so often fail.