Difference between Wishful Thinking and Faith

[xyluz]

This morning, a question came to my mind (due to some situations around), and I could not answer the question, so, here it is, i'll appreciate all scripture based definitions... 

What is the difference between Wishful Thinking and Faith?

Looking forward to your responses.

 

  Thank you.

[Neighbor]

Jesus is the difference. The purpose of the gospel of Jesus is not to fulfill wishful thinking, but to cover the sin against God that separates God from each of us.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  -James 4:3
 

[missmuffet]

11 hours ago, xyluz said:

This morning, a question came to my mind (due to some situations around), and I could not answer the question, so, here it is, i'll appreciate all scripture based definitions... 

What is the difference between Wishful Thinking and Faith?

Looking forward to your responses.

 

  Thank you.

It is a secular term.

If you state an idea, wish or hope is wishful thinking, you mean that it has failed to come true or is unlikely to come true.

How does this differ in our faith and hope in God? Putting God 100% in control of our lives.

[Not me]

11 hours ago, xyluz said:

This morning, a question came to my mind (due to some situations around), and I could not answer the question, so, here it is, i'll appreciate all scripture based definitions... 

What is the difference between Wishful Thinking and Faith?

Looking forward to your responses.

 

  Thank you.

One is knowledge in the brain... 

The other is knowledge in the heart...
 

Be blessed in experiencing the difference...

A fellow believer, Not me 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Not me

[shortangel]

good points here

[Jason Yzaguirre]

Before I turned to Christ, I realized that wishful thinking was all I used to do. Wishful thinking to me is wishing for something to happen but without really praying for it or asking God for it. It's more of a "desired outcome" rather than something felt from the heart.

Turning to Scripture, I realized I had been doing it wrong and asking God the wrong things and in the wrong way. I used to want a better job, more money, lottery (definitely wishful thinking lol), and so on. Now I don't ask or pray for those things. I know pray for God to show me the direction he wants to go. I also pray for him to bring good things for everyone, to watch over those I cherish. If a prayer or a respectful request is not answered or given, then that tells me that God has other plans and that is okay. If God wants me rich, he will make it so, if he wants me poor, it will be so, if he wants me to deal with success, it will happen, and if he wants me to experience loss, then it will happen. God gives us lessons to grow for a purpose. 

[xyluz]

On 5/27/2020 at 1:26 AM, Jason Yzaguirre said:

If God wants me rich, he will make it so, if he wants me poor, it will be so, if he wants me to deal with success, it will happen, and if he wants me to experience loss, then it will happen. God gives us lessons to grow for a purpose. 

Hello @Jason Yzaguirre 

Thank you for your response. I have a follow up question (from your response - quoted above), is it possible for God to want us to be poor? or want us to experience loss?

Does that not go against His word and promises for us?

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by xyluz
corrected a typo, hopefully, not too many people saw it... :)

[Jason Yzaguirre]

3 hours ago, xyluz said:

Hello @Jason Yzaguirre 

Thank you for your response. I have a follow up question (from your response - quoted above), is it possible for God to want us to be poor? or want us to experience loss?

Does he not go against His word and promises for us?

 

You are welcome. 

I believe God has lessons for each of us to learn regardless if you accept him or not because even if you deny him, he is still there.

Of course God changes his mind, Genesis comes to mind on that because he could have wiped us off existence then but his mercy and patience got the better of him. Thank him for that

 I didn't mean to make it sound like our situations in our lives have to be absolute and unchanging. I meant that he has us experience tests like that to help us grow. If we start off poor, do we have to accept it and stay that way because we think it's Gods will? Of course not, that is where we either begin or fall to if you lost your job and everything then ended up on the streets. It's how we overcome those obstacles and remember the lessons we learned from it as well as remembering it once it is overcome. Some people are stuck poor no matter what they do and perhaps that was Gods plan for them all along for whatever his reason was. Some people live and and die wealthy without ever experiencing discomfort, poverty, or any hardship their wholes lives and may or may not have had an ounce of faith. I have never been rich but I can put a roof over my head, feed myself, and have a working vehicle. Which is great to me. But I have also been homeless twice, have experienced loss in ways that have altered my life, and have made a lot of dumb mistakes. I am far from perfect.

But since I have let God into my life, I try one day at a time to grow as a person and accept what he has to put me through. I used to take employment and dependency on another person for granted but when I lost a job many years ago, I was arrogant and thought I could easily find another. Well, we were going through a recession at the time and I could not find a job no matter how many applications, job interviews, phone calls, and resumes I sent out. I was unemployed for two years and at the same time had to take care of loved ones that needed medical care at home. Very tough times but eventually they passed, and over a decade later, I cherish whatever job I have. I no longer put too much stock into possessions because I had to leave all of that behind. I also am going to finally attend college because after nearly 20 years, I think it's time to do so in order to improve my current situation. I feel this is God leading me this direction as I never really had any desire to pursue this. I think God wanted to me to experience all of this until he felt I was ready for his next phase for me. Right now he wants me to accept him full time and wants me to start digging deep into scripture. I used to try for the longest time but I could not get past the first chapter of Genesis. But he sent me different messages and then literally a sign in the mail that it was time to open his book. 

 

[JohnD]

On 5/25/2020 at 3:26 AM, xyluz said:

This morning, a question came to my mind (due to some situations around), and I could not answer the question, so, here it is, i'll appreciate all scripture based definitions... 

What is the difference between Wishful Thinking and Faith?

Looking forward to your responses.

 

  Thank you.

Trust in the God who orchestrates all things to do his will and for our own good.

[Logostician]

I'm not sure what wishful thinking is.  If it's hoping for good things to happen, that's a good start.  But now you have make it real.  Give the wish substance by praying in faith, and now you have the power of God behind it.  If it's something you want to do, ask God if he wants you to do it, and to give you the strength to do it.  Maintain the prayer conversation as you progress.

If wishful thinking is just wishing to get lucky, I don't beleive in luck.  I beleive in God.  Things happen because God wills them to happen.  And God has a plan.  Prayer makes you an active participant in God's plan.  There are things that God wants you to do, and things that God will cause to happen in your life, to get you where you need to be in his plan.  He does not engage in wishful thinking.  He wills it, and it happens.  Prayer aligns your will with God's will, allowing powerful things to happen.

In either case wishful thinking alone has no substance.  Jesus is the substance that makes things happen.  Jesus makes it real.