Sometimes in life when I’m faced with a big decision, I worry that somehow I’m going to interfere in God’s plan. That I have to be so sure that the decision I make is the right one according to his will so I don’t screw everything up. But it dawned on me that I’m giving myself way more power in God’s sovereign plan than I actually have. If I mess up… No, when I mess up – I am in no way going to somehow change the course of God’s plan. God’s plan is far bigger than me and my choices on earth. God’s ultimate plan will be fulfilled when Christ returns to reign on heaven and earth.
And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1:10
Now as his child, he has given me the opportunity to participate in the unfolding of his plan by using the special gifts he’s given me to fulfill my purpose – to become more and more Christlike as I prepare for eternity in his presence.
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29
So when I’m faced with decisions in life and I fear making the wrong one and messing everything up, I need to remember that God is still in control. That he works everything out to the ultimate good for those of us that love him and have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Think of a football game. The ultimate plan of the coach is to win the game. He has a team. Each with his own position to play based on his particular talents. Each has their “purpose”. Sometimes they may play great and maybe even score a touchdown. Sometimes they may mess up and turn the ball over to the other team. But regardless of whether the player failed or succeeded, their purpose hasn’t changed. And the ultimate goal of the coach hasn’t changed, either. He might pull the player off to the sidelines for a few plays so they can regroup. He might have to remind them of the playbook and the plays he’s designed. But he still plans to win the game with each player playing the position they were assigned.
Obviously this analogy is flawed because the coaches plan might not work out. He might lose. But God’s plan definitely will work exactly as he said it will. The point is that once we’ve surrendered our life to Christ, we’ve joined God’s “team”. We each have our God given gifts and talents that we should be using wherever we happen to be playing the game. We need to remember that God is in control of the game plan and to set out to play our position the best we can. Sometimes we might gain a lot of yards. Sometimes we might fumble the ball. But no matter what, we get back in the game and keep our eye on the end zone. Our position hasn’t changed – and neither has God’s plan!
