Some random thoughts:
- God knew you, even before you were born, and ordained all your days before there was one of them. (Psalm 139:16)
- Some people were conceived and born in a way that was unplanned.
- Does that mean God knows the choices you will make?
A sticking point for some in Christianity seems to be reconciling God's will for their life and their free will to make choices.
In other words, can their choices somehow alter God's will? Who is in control?
Yes, God might have a plan, they say, but what if you mess it up?
This post examines how God's plan works itself out, even with the choices people make.First, these Bible verses discuss the Omniscience of God.
God knows what you are made of, he knows what you are thinking, he is aware he is in your presence and he has plans for you.
These verses seem to declare that God is in charge of you and what will happen.
But what if you make bad choices?
Acts Of The Apostles 2:23 states,
" this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death."
What this means is God's will ("the predetermined plan") can work with your will ("you nailed to a cross"). The wills are not at odds with each other, but they work together.
A bad choice (nailing to a cross) is still within God's plan. He is still in charge.
As an example, what about superstar N.B.A. player LeBron James?
It is fairly well known that he had an absentee father, and he is not even sure who his father is. Apparently he was an unplanned pregnancy, and three people could potentially be his father.
It still is not definitive who his father is, even based on what his mom, Gloria James, has said.
But God knew what he was doing.
In this famous letter LeBron James sarcastically thanks his father for being absent, saying that helped make him who he is today. He said his absent father is his "fuel."
In other words, God had a plan for the life of LeBron James. Isn't he called "The Chosen One?"
The point is it might not all flow and make sense to a human mind, but God's plan works itself out.
Now, LeBron James is not only a role model to countless youth, but he has a Foundation in which he gives back to the city he is from (Akron, Ohio).
Yes, his youth might not have been all cheery and easy, but God is using him in a way he chose.
It is important to remember that God is transcendent, and nothing is a surprise to him.The circumstances LeBron James were born under were not a surprise to God, and neither are your circumstances.
Some people might think that they have made so many bad choices that they wonder if God has a plan. It might seem like there is no plan - or a good one.
But, before disparaging, remember that God knows what you are made of, he knows what you are thinking, he is aware he is in your presence and he has plans for you.
He also created everyone else, so what they do does not ultimately stop his plan.
God might be disappointed by some of the choices we make, but they don't throw a monkey wrench into everything God has worked out. He created all of it, by the way.
And the best part is what he has in store for you for eternity.
1 Corinthians 2:9 reads,
"No eye hath not seen, nor any ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."Your days were ordained before there was ever one of them.
Yes, God's plan includes the choices you will make.
