Thursday, 11 March 2010

  • Teen Pregnancy: Is It In God's Plans?

    It is obvious to everyone and anyone that teen pregnancy is, and has been, on the rise for years -- especially now.

    According to www.familyfirstaid.org, 34% of young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20 -- about 820,000 a year. Eight in ten of these teen pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent are to unmarried teens.

    I've thought that maybe God has two roads for everyone -- and one involving a kid might be a road in which might be much harder and yet maybe it's still in his plans.

    Now, I'm no expert in the bible -- I have been studying and reading the bible for only a year or two now, and as far as teachings and scripts, I know that God would like us to be virgins until marriage, but this question has been running through my mind for a while now and I'd like to ask to get some more insight on it.

    So, is teen pregnancy in His plans for us? Are kids placed in those teenagers lives for specific reasons? Why does He allow it?

Comments (33)

  • soyeahthatswhathappened@xanga

    i'm not sure. i just think god gives us what he gives us and lets us try to make the best of it.

  • Manstration@xanga

    Because the condom broke.

  • SirNickDon@xanga

    I think the scriptures show over and over that God doesn't decide our lives in advance, but works the mess of our lives (including unexpected pregnancies, which result in new messy lives) into a much larger-scale plan.  So teen pregnancy is not in the will of God in the sense that he pokes holes in specific condoms, but it is in the will of God in the sense that God chooses to work with even such accidents without abandoning his good plans for us.

  • SirNickDon@xanga

    @Manstration@xanga - Aw, you beat me to the broken condom reference.

  • iseetheworldinhiseyes19@xanga

    God knows EVERYTHING that is going to happen to you. He has his plan for you, and he expects you to sin, because it's human nature. He is in control. 

  • sarahzthoughts@xanga

    The Bible clearly states all children are gifts from God. This doesn't condone teen pregnancy but life is life regardless of the circumstances it is created.

  • l0veBabyx@xanga

    @sarahzthoughts@xanga - Yes I know, I know that all children are gifts from God but I meant more of a view from the young parents who make the choices.


    Alot of these comments answer my question :)

  • sarahzthoughts@xanga

    @l0veBabyx@xanga - Well supposedly experience often comes through bad judgment.

  • LadyGwenivere@xanga

    every pregnancy is planned by God. He already has plans for that baby before anyone even knows they are pregnant. I am NOT condoning for teens to get pregnant, I do however advocate for the teens who get pregnant to stay pregnant. And I firmly believe that the teens who abort will meet their babies in heaven and will have to answer as to why they were not given a chance to live.
    My birth mom was 18 when she got pregnant with me, and she used both birthcontrol and a condom. And WHOOPS! I am here anyway.

    And at that, I am going to end my comment because I tend to go on long tangents on this issue.

  • deepestrecesses

    Teen pregnancies are never "in His plan" for us; I hope you'll hear me out and give me a chance before dismissing me as hard-nosed.

    ELOHIM (This is a name of Gods which means Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong [used in I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1, and in many other places]) does not 'will' that anyone go against His own decrees. 

    To understand this one has to first accept that 'the baby' is not the Sin; disobedience acted out in the form of sex with a partner that has not entered into a marriage covenant is the Sin.  In your studies, has God ever been pleased by someone disobeying him or breaking His covenant?

    Example)
    It was not in Gods 'plans' for Israel to disobey Him and cultivate a society of idolatry and immorality.  Yet from the beginning Israel was constantly straying from God in pursuit of their own desires (this is called rebellion).  The result of this rebellion was that God brought punishment (discipline) on Israel in order to turn them from rebellion (much like a Father will spank a child to keep it from doing things that will have worse repercussions).  

    This does not please God, it actually brings pain to Him, but He does it out of Love for His Children.

    Hebrews 12:6-9  6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

    During Israels captivity they learned to "Cry out" to God!  Their arrogance, stubbornness, and idolatry was crushed.  They were free to enter into repentance and therefore a relationship once again with God---- it was their response to Gods discipline that mattered.

    The same will be of a Teenager who now has conceived a child; she is faced with a pregnancy as a result of her disobedience towards God is going to find that she is TOTALLY overwhelmed.  She is absolutely at a disadvantage.

    Her heart may now be softened towards God; she may now be ready to hear the Message He has given to all mankind.

    She will have two options;
    1) acceptance of the Lords rebuke.  This will lead to her raising a Child ENTIRELY depending upon God for the strength to do so.  IF she takes this option, although it will be a very, very difficult and lonely life (probably), "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28).

    2) She can, as did Israel (Ex. Amos 4:11), Scorn Gods warnings and attempt to bring her back.  She can seek to remove it (abortion, in this case) OR she can look hatefully upon the Child.  Or she can try and pass that child off to the grandparents as soooo many girls are doing today instead of bearing up under her own decision.

    God allows these things because of His holiness, His justice, and for our benefit.  His Love is greater and far-stretching.  Its wisdom most cannot understand.

    As I said above with Romans 8:28, this Child which is now put into the Teens life is meant to teach that Teen the ways of God; to bring her into reliance upon Him.  She can, as I said, ignore that and continue on in her own way, but she also loses the blessing of Gods rebuke.

    The Child should be viewed as a natural result that God will use in an effort to get the Teens attention; I have seen MANY teens turn to and stay with God as a result of this kind of thing. 

  • mycontinuity@xanga

    @iseetheworldinhiseyes19@xanga - No, people have free will and he works around it. God would never want a girl to be raped. I can't see that being in his plan.

    Your soul is created when you are created. Not before, which is why Jesus' birth was so special.

  • BlehhItsTu@xanga

    They say that Mary was only about 14 when she had Jesus.

  • ultravioletskies08@xanga

    To answer the question at the title of the post: Yes.

  • Pass_the_Aura@xanga

    I recall one specific teenage pregnancy that was obviously a huge part of God's plan-- of course, it was a bit unique as the young woman in question was still a virgin.

    Slightly more to the point, Romans 8:28.

  • Always_Thinking

    Yea, and I wonder how many of those unplanned pregnancies become abortions... it's a sad shame.

  • CyanideNGunpowder@xanga

    @BlehhItsTu@xanga - @Pass_the_Aura@xanga - Beat me to the punch. Imagine the looks a 14 year old would get today if she attended church while knocked up and unable to explain the father.

  • denimmusic777@xanga

    @sarahzthoughts@xanga - that is definitely an interesting thought... never considered that...


    Is teen pregnancy in God's plan?  depends on the context of the pregnancy... if you're 19,and married, then yes... if you're 16, made a mistake, then I would argue not mainly because you're not in the season of motherhood... most 16 year old girls in today's culture aren't ready cuz they haven't had the thought to be one so soon...  did this take God by surprise... well no... Does God work with it?  I would say yes...

  • snarkius@xanga

    Well, he did knock up Mary.

  • too_pretty_to_die@xanga

    i heard an interesting quote this morning from a Rabbi Kushner (and i'm paraphrasing) that is very relevant: there is a huge difference between bad things happening and our decision to seek good in them, and God actively causing bad things to teach a lesson.  

  • l0veBabyx@xanga

    @denimmusic777@xanga - thank you :)


    @deepestrecesses - thank you for taking your time out to explain

  • Murderdolls_ELLE@xanga

    Its not he wants this to happen. its because people just do the ways they want and ignoring god. Just like murdering and abortion. Human chose to commit sins, he gives us freedom to do anything we want. hope that helps you love

  • l0veBabyx@xanga
  • PureWhiteSwan

    Hi
     First of all God loves you so much and would never " PLAN " the sins that would come into your / our lives.  He says we have free choice to accept Him or reject Him. The same with decisions in life. We have a free will to do what is right or wrong . I have had great problems with the phrase " God is in control " . Yes - He is in control of the world but not of our free choice . Otherwise we would all be robots.

    Everyone sins and we reap what we sow. A baby can be conceived when we have sex before God intended . The act is the sin - not the BABY !!!!!!   God forgives the very second you ask Him to but often other people aren't so loving and kind as our Father God.  Because babies are very special to the Lord and He actually breathes into them His life giving breath this baby is a gift to you. Think of him/her as a gift and you will have more peace about your situation. Remember above all - - God loves you very much .....   Blessings .....

  • l0veBabyx@xanga

    @PureWhiteSwan - Thank you, and yeah I meant how he sees it for the parents, not the baby. I meant to make that more clear, but thank you

  • shattered_intimacy@xanga

    no, it is not in god's plans. some teens are just damn stupid.

    condom? pill? morning pill after? abortion? there are so man options...

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