UGW #1: Our Impact on God's Will
Understanding God's Will #1: You say that we have an effect on the path that we walk in this life, that God’s “best path and best plans” don’t always "just happen" apart from our cooperation. Do you have Scripture to back that up? Yes, well, I’m glad you asked. But first, let me ask this: If God always did whatever He wanted to do in our lives, regardless of us, why are we told so often in the Bible to pray for wisdom, to seek it, to be discerning? If our choices and actions don’t matter and don’t have an effect on what He does in our lives, then it doesn’t matter if we live with wisdom or foolishness. Whatever happens is God’s plan, right? [The Calvinist answer would probably be something like, "God ordains the means as well as the ends," meaning that He predestines (i.e. causes, forces) the end goal and all the steps to get there, what we do and what our choices are and if we pray or not. But once again, "Why should we bother caring o