We are told thatGod does have a specific plan for each living being. God even knows the number of hairs each one of us has. Our lives are all mapped out. In the end, it will be all good for God's people.
Many are not convinced. They point out: If God had a plan, why is the world not perfect Why do we all struggle with issues relating to frustrations, health, hopes not realized, pain, relationships, sufferings, etc.? Why there are so many detours?
Various questions are raised: Why do not we know God's plan for us in advance? Does anybody know what God’s plan is for them?
Some say that God is in control, while some others argue that it does not appear to be like that. A few are of the view that God's plan is not for a specific person, it is a general plan for the humanity.
At least knowing that God is mindful of all of us gives us comfort and solace,some feel.
Many emphasize: God is good. Just obey God, glorify Him, adore Him, dedicate yourself to Him. Do not ask questions and do not try to discern His will.
The ancient Shvetashvatara Upanishad tells us: "His hands and feet are everywhere; his heads and mouths everywhere. He sees everything, hears everything, and pervades everything … He is the master of the universe … He remains hidden in the hearts of all … He is the bestower of all blessings … He rules every creature from within ..."
We asked our panel: Does God have a plan for everyone?
Fixed and flexible
Sherif A. Elfass, president, Northern Nevada Muslim Community
Allah (SWT) created this universe and subjected it to His overriding power, will and knowledge. When it comes to mankind, Allah (SWT) has a plan for each one of us. This plan, which is also called Qadar (or fate) comprises two parts, fixed and flexible. The fixed Qadar is whatever happens to us beyond our control. For example, the time and place of our birth and death, illnesses and natural disasters that befall us, whether blessed or wretched, our livelihood, etc. The flexible Qadar is whatever is within the realm of our free will; whether we do good or evil, what we choose to believe, and how we choose to live within the defined boundaries. So, Allah (SWT) has a plan for us, but fulfillment of that plan is up to us: the choices we make, as well as our degree of faith, persistenceand determination.
The plan isKarma,Anicca,Anatta
Matthew T. Fisher, resident priest, Reno Buddhist Center
As Gene Roddenberry put it, the magnificence of existence lies in the Infinite Diversity of Infinite Combinations (IDIC) as Infinite Life flows through time — lifetime after lifetime. We are all part of life living itself. To our limited unenlightened eyes, the everything-ness of the Dharmakaya —the truth body of the Universe —expresses itself in the fascinating particular events we call “our life.” But it does not really belong to “me” because there is not really any “me” for “my life” to belong to.
Life, the Universe, and everything are characterized by Great Wisdom and Great Compassion. The inexorable flow of vast unfolding experience is toward harmony with our true nature —the true nature of the universe which is Eternal, Joyful, Selfless and Pure. The Flow does follow a plan, expressed as the immutable laws of physics and metaphysics:Karma, Aniccaand Anatta.
We can choose God’s plan or ours
Micheal L. Peterson, northwest Nevada media specialist, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
God does have a plan for each of His children. It is called by different names such as The Plan of Salvation or The Plan of Happiness, whereby we are invited to become joint heirs with Christ and receive all that our Father has, by His grace, after all we can do (2 Nephi:25-23). The only problem that gets in the way is our free will, or agency, which was given to mankind in the beginning. We can pray with real intent to know and follow God’s plan for us, or we can through unrighteous choices determine our own path.
In the premortal spirit world, God appointed certain spirits to fulfill specific missions during their mortal lives. This is called foreordination but it does not guarantee that individuals will receive certain callings or responsibilities. Such opportunities come in this life as a result of the righteous exercise of agency.
No plan, but divine grace accessible to everyone
Swami Vedananda, Hindu monk
According to one of the basic scriptures of Hinduism, God's action on the world scene can be expressed in this way: Whenever virtue declines and its opposite acquires ascendency, then the fundamental divine reality becomes embodied and is seen to exert itself to right the balance, to bless the good and to chastise the wicked, in order to re-establish righteousness in ways suitable to that epoch. Other than this, there is no mention of a divine plan. Individuals are thought to work out their own destiny in consonance with their own innate tendencies.
There are, however, also thought to be other great individuals born from time to time, who are filled with spiritual wisdom to aid in this re-establishing of righteousness. There is also a belief that everyone has a role to play on the universal stage, each in consonance with their own tendencies and characteristics.
An expansive view
Karen A. Foster, minister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada
This question presupposes a traditional view of God, who is intricately involved in the details and decisions of our lives. I favor a more expansive view of God, as a force of love and goodness that enlivens the universe, the very energy of aliveness. I see this force as partnering with us, rather than controlling circ*mstances and decisions.
I think that the plan for us by whatever divine force we might imagine, does not necessarily revolve around the very specific and very concrete personal details of our lives such as who to marry, what job or career to choose, and what faith community we engage in. Rather I think there is a more general “plan” or hope, and that is for us to live fulfilled meaningful lives, to thrive, and to be on a learning journey of discovering how to love, and how to lessen suffering for our fellow travelers.
Planned together
ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, Jewish rabbi
There is a plan for each of us. Essentially, we are partners with G-d in the unfolding of our life’s path. We live in a co-created reality. G-d does not force us to choose a particular path, but knows what we will choose. "All is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is given" (Pirkei Avot, 3:19). This does not restrict complete autonomy. We are assisted along our path — in whichever way we choose.
Fundamentally, G-d’s plan is aimed towards a world with justice. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." Failing to live up to it has repercussions. For example, failing to live in harmony with the earth reaps dire inevitable consequences. There are more specific plans for each person too. Clarity on the plan for our lives comes with prayer, meditation and study.
To become light
Stephen R. Karcher, presiding priest, Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church
God has a plan for everyone. No one is born into this world by chance or by mistake. Every single one of us exists because God wants us here. And He wants us to share his life; to turn away from serving idols and to become participants in his Divine activity that brings harmony and good order to all creation. He wants us to join the struggle to overcome evil and darkness in the world but first in ourselves, always understanding that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12).
His plan is that we learn to love and honor other people because evil would seek only to pit humans against one another, but God’s plan to build up, reconcile, and unite. He wants us to be active, loyal, faithfuland repentant, in this way, we will come to know the power of Christ’s resurrection and then live it.
God’s plan for us — love and unity
Nancy Lee Cecil, Baha’i teacher
Regardless of how humanity has obfuscated the message, God’s Will for everyone is, ultimately, to love and help one another. It’s clearly easier said than done, but love remains the bedrock of all Holy Books, revealed by God in nearly all religious disciplines. But for Baha’is, the Will of God for humanity in the current age also centers on promoting unity. Abdu’l-Baha tells us, “… (A)ll prejudices between man and man are falsehoods and violations of the Will of God. God desires unity and love; He commands harmony and fellowship. Enmity is human disobedience; God Himself is love.”
Following God’s plan for us simply means asking God to work through us to bring more love, peaceand unity into the world. For most of us, this is a lofty endeavor! Our ego takes us where we think we want to go, which makes this a worthy goal to aspire to daily.
God’s plan and redemption
Bryan Smith, lead pastor, Summit Christian Church, Sparks
The Lord is sovereign and in control. Nothing is outside his reach or grasp. His plan will be accomplished. This includes his plan for everyone. In his abundant love for us, he has crafted a plan for our best life. That life is always found in obedient relationship with him.
This issue: We stray from his plan. We call this sin. Sin wrecks life and becomes sand in the gears of who we are. Our sin, and the impact of other’s sin on us, move us toward pain, heartache and destruction. Yet, God provides a way back through Christ. This is the good news of the Gospel. Though sin pushes against God’s plan for us, God redeems what is lost through the death and resurrection of Christ. Not all hope is lost when the worries of life push against us, God has a redemptive plan for you.
A perplexing puzzle
Kenneth G. Lucey, philosophy/religion professor emeritus, University of Nevada
The question presupposes that God as traditionally conceived by Judaism, Christianity and Islam exists. This God is eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good. An all-knowing God must know in advance everything that will ever happen or be done by anyone. This is the point at which serious conceptual problems arise, because it is also part of the same traditional theology that human beings have free will with regard to at least some of their actions. If God knows in advance what everyone will do, then that foreknowledge could be called God’s plan for each human being.
Suppose someone reaches a crucial juncture in life where everything else turns on whether to perform or abstain from a crucial action. If God’s foreknowledge (plan) knows in advance what the individual will do, then there is no genuine freedom. So, which will it be —genuine free will or God’s divine plan?
Next week’s topic: Should the clergy provide medical and political advice to congregants?
Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion produced by religious statesman Rajan Zed. Send questions or comments to [email protected] or on Twitter at @rajanzed.
