As we continue our look at the nature of the Gods lets us now turn our attention to our needs.
People who are more spiritually aware tend to view these unanswered prayers and petitions as the Gods are withholding certain things for some as yet unknown but perfectly valid reason. Then they try to harmonise their actions with the will of the Gods. Then often with time when we look back, we can often see the reason we did not get what we want and we begin to understand why. Sometimes we just never seem to know and are left confused. Hindsight can be a great thing sometimes.
Now we as pagans also have something else to face. Our Gods make no claims to Omniscience, as we have discussed in an earlier post. So what can this mean for us? Well it could be a valid thing to say that the Gods really do not understand how important it is for us to get the thing we lack. Or maybe in looking at the bigger picture they see where we need to go and forget our little legs often need more time and rest breaks to get there. This one I know from personal experience. The first time I took my little nephew to the shop to buy sweets I was quite unaware of the time it takes a little person to walk and I quickly found I was dragging him along, and what started out as a fun thing soon had both him and I annoyed.
We also have something else to think of Our Gods make no claims to Omnipotence either. We have to be aware that just sometimes the thing we are asking them to do is actually beyond their powers to do. No matter how much they want to help and give us maybe they just can’t.
We will grow old and we will die and maybe on the way we will develop symptoms which are uncomfortable and even painful. Yes we will cry out and look for help and we do have medicine to help us but we will never be able to stop this process. Some things are just beyond our power.
Now some of you may be thinking well those Gods who say they know everything and can do anything maybe it is to one of them we should turn. Well yes maybe but just look do followers of them want for less do they get all they want. Or is it a fact that they are often more confused and left waiting for the big change that never comes........crying out “WHY NOT”.
We don’t have this big dilemma we know the Gods are limited and we don’t need to create fancy theology to justify them. It is simple they are limited.
What they do give us is self reliance. The ability to stop waiting and to do! To begin to use our own resources to try and make changes! What we may find is that even though the Gods cannot give what we ask they can point us in the direction we need to go in. Again they call us into a partnership. This does not mean you don't ask, but it does place some more emphasis on listening too. We are called to help them re-create the world, to bring an order to the Chaos. You are no longer the willing servants waiting on the whim of your master. You are an essential part of the team; you are called into a relationship. You are asked, everyday, to make changes in the now. To bring order to the Chaos of life! This is the core of the Pagan way.