Does God Have a Specific Plan for Your Life? Probably Not.

Sarah at Emerging Mummy always has great links. Wish I were a speed-reader like she must be!

She often has timely links to things I've been pondering, and recently she had a link to Don Miller, the author to books such as "Blue Like Jazz", & "Writing a Storyline: An Alternative to Mission Statements".

Does God Have a Specific Plan for Your Life? Probably Not.

The hundreds of comments on his blog are also interesting, although there's no time for me to read them all. I haven't learned to speed read (yet).

I've been really pondering the idea of our hearts' desires, and having discussion with friends along our cross-country trip. I find that most Christians I've spoken with are very uncomfortable with doing what their hearts' desires are, because they think that is selfish, and not God-honoring.  They expect that their own hearts' desire will likely be in conflict with God's desire for them.

Actually, many of us have been told that we can't even trust our feelings, our hearts, nor our imagination. We've rejected these things as if they are evil, rather than realizing that they are marvelous gifts from God. We've thrown them away and instead we have puffed up with head knowledge.

But I believe that those desires that we actually have are actually given to us from God, and that's why He says that He will give us the desires of our hearts.

It really bothers me when people say things like "You never should tell God that you don't want to be sent to Africa, because that's where He's definitely going to send you then!" as if He's purposely going to make you go where you don't want to go. He's a meanie. What an ogre!!

I believe that when we are walking in communion with our Creator, and we are living true to ourselves (vs to religion & obligation) then our desires will be in accordance with the will of God. And I don't believe that His will for us is laid out in detail, like what University we should attend, the 'one' we should marry, the house we should buy.

I know that scripture says "In all things give thanks, for this is God's will for you." Its full of patterns we can follow, character we can nurture. But the details are for us to discover, in our intimacy with Him.



I'd love to hear what you have to say about it.