God's Blueprint

In the final 10 days of my bachelor-hood...bachelorism...bachelor life-style...I guess you get the point. But in the final 10 days before Jenny and I get married, I've had several decisions to make and topics to discuss, such as: insurance, budgeting, career choices, when to have kids, whether to have kids at all, and etc... Although I'm excited to the MAX about getting married, a lot of situations and decisions that lie ahead make me nervous. It would be comforting for me to believe that God has a blueprint for my life, which he can lead me to the path that would be best for me. But as we learned on Sunday, that is not the case, and today's post will be discovering the comfort that lies in the statement: God does NOT have a blueprint for my life.

Most of us believe, have believed, or would like to believe that God orchestrates every situation we face and decision we make (what job we take, what school we go to, who we marry) so that we can have a prosperous and happy life. However, we learned earlier in this series that God's main concern is not that we're happy, but that we become more like His Son. Therefore, maybe it's more realistic to believe that God is working within all situations, to create within us a mentality and spirit which reflects Jesus. According to Paul, the man most responsible for spreading Christianity throughout the world, God uses even the darkest situations to mold us into the people He desires for us to be.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

Many have misinterpreted Paul's words, believing that he meant that God orchestrates are situations to build us a better life. The problem is that most misunderstand what Paul meant by the word "good". If God's main priority is not that we are happy, then what could this good be? Maybe God uses our situations to help us become more like Him. Maybe instead of asking God to show me signs for which job I should take, I should ask what kind of employee I should be. Maybe instead of asking God to orchestrate every situation so that I would know what school to go to, I should search through God's Word to find out how He thinks I should treat my teachers and classmates. The comfort is found when I understand that God's ultimate goal is to shape me into someone who reflects His will, and that He will be there to help me every step along the way. If God's will is not a blueprint that has to be followed precisely, then we can be comforted to know that God's will is much more flexible. We no longer have to fear decisions because we can't stray away from a blueprint that doesn't exist, and God will hold our hand in every decision and form us along the way.


Explore
What does Jesus describe as "easy" and "light" in Matthew 11:28-30?

Pray
That God can begin to bring comfort to the thought that He has no blueprint for your life, and that you can begin to look for His will in all situations.

Homework
Prepare an answer for group on Sunday.
When facing a big decision to you usually follow your head or your heart?