"Bruce Almighty" and free will

Some of you may remember this Jim Carrey movie from a few years back.  It's one of Hollywood's better attempts at a God movie.

In it, Jim Carrey's character, Bruce, is empowered by God with all of God's power to see how he would handle things, what it's like to be God.  Bruce was unhappy with his life and thought he could do a better job of it than God was doing for him.  Sound like anyone you know?  (clear throat)

Anyway, Bruce is allowed to do whatever he wills with his power except he cannot mess with free will.

Oy.

That is exactly what Bruce thinks will "save the day" - if only people would do what he wants them to do, what, in his mind, they are "supposed" to be doing - his life would be so much better!

He became frustrated because he was not able to change his fiance's mind about taking him back.  He'd turn into a real schmuck (as we all do when we play god) and so she left him.

It all works out in the end (thank you, Hollywood) and Bruce becomes a better person, humbled when he realizes that he can't do a better job than God after all, and his fiance (played by Jennifer Aniston) takes him back.  

How can you relate to this story?  

I know how frustrating it can be to pray for someone for years and see no lasting change in them.  I "claimed" all the verses, prayed on my knees, fasted.  Still.  No budging.

How can this be?  Is this God not answering my prayers or is the "Bruce Almighty" factor involved?  We.  Cannot. Mess with. Free. Will.

People are people.  They have minds of their own, no matter how many bad choices they seem to make with it.  

When it "hits home" though, it gets old fast.  Really old.  Frustraingly old.  

But we keep on praying anyway, even if our prayers are never answered the way we like.  Why?

Because, like Bruce, hopefully we are being humbled in the process, becoming better - and by better, I mean more like Christ (not a part of the Hollywood version, but how it really is).  And that's what it's all about for us as Christians.

Not a "happy ending." 

Not getting everything we want.

Not trying to change people to be what we want them to be.

But to be more like Jesus.  Period.

Someone should make a movie about that!  But it might be too hard to watch! Ha!

Dear Lord.  When others around me, who make my life harder than I wish, do not change in answer to my prayers, help me remember that You are God.  Please change me instead and help me become more like You.  In that process, please help me bear with the issues of others with love and grace, like You do with me.  Always.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.