Free Will vs. God's Will

Dear Brother Ron

I'm getting confused. I keep hearing two things from religious people, usually Christians, that God is omnipotent, has a plan for us all, and that everything happens for a reason. They also say that God gave us free will and won't intereven in our lives(why there is so much evil in the world), and that there are some things out of God's power. I sometimes hear these ideas coming from the same person. Please explain how these ideas can coexist, or if one is wrong or one is right.

Nike

Dear Nike

God is omnipotent. He has a plan for the universe and we are all part of that plan. Explaining how free will fits into the equation gets a little tricky so bear with me.

You and I may make individual choices about how we conduct our lives. But God's plan is so perfectly constructed that our actions can not dismantle it. Let's say you throw a big rock into a lake. It makes a big splash and sends ripples to all parts of the lake. But eventually the ripples die down and the lake is the same as it was before.

I am often amazed that we humans think we are powerful enough to subvert the will of God. Hitler killed millions in an attempt to wipe out the Jews. I believe his actions led directly to the formation of the state of Israel. The Catholic Church killed thousands in an attempt to eliminate other religions. Today we have a wider religious diversity than ever, thanks to the First Amendment, which was inspired by the abuses of the Catholics.

So go ahead and live your life as you see fit. Your ripples will not drain the lake.

Best always
Brother Ron