DO WE REALLY HAVE FREE WILL? (revised)

[tomdurst]

DO WE REALLY HAVE FREE-WILL?

By Thomas E Durst

Proverbs 16:9 (New Living Translation)

9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.

We may like to arrogantly feel that WE are in control of our lives but actually we are not (see Proverbs 16 in entirety). We may make all of the human plans we like but ultimately God determines whether those plans will be fulfilled or if He has other plans for us. Trying to resist God's ways for us is an exercise in fultility and endless suffering. Sooner or later His plans for us will be brought to fruition even if we "kick and scream" all the way. God is always sovereign. We may think we have "free-will" but this is only part of our ego-based, arrogant way of thinking we know more than God does.

Most people go through life in ignorance of God's will for them and they suffer endlessly, living in Hell, because they don't spend time listening to God, seeking His will, which they eventually will have to learn anyway. The ideal way to live if we wish to find true freedom is to continually seek God's will for our lives and make that seeking the number #1 priority above and beyond everything else.

In Acts 9:1-9 we have a story that illustrates exactly what I'm trying to say. Saul of Tarsus had made definite plans to persecute more of God's people but God had a different plan. Saul was not confronted with God's plan in a nice, pleasant, smooth way at all. I see in this story a rather abrupt way in which God worked to get Saul's attention. Nothing else had worked. God was sovereign, not Saul. The persecutor was transformed and joined the persecuted. We may also need to be confronted by God abruptly at times to stop us from carrying out our plans which are often not well thought out, prayed over, and bring disappointment and suffering. So if you think you've got your life well under control and everything planned fasten your seat belt for you are in for some big surprises! I imagine Saul certainly got a big surprise.

I invited you to read the related article A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN which is on the link below:


A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN

[Jane oddo]

I don't think so. It could be an oxymoron though.

[Juan Brignoni]

Another example of the same principle is the case of Jonah. God send him to preach to Ninive but he went to the opposite side. But God sent him anyway to Ninive, that was the true will of God.