Do you think we have free will to make choices or do you think that fate/God is controlling everything we do? In other words, can we make our own choices or is everything we will ever do already been decided upon by God and we are just acting out what has been written on the Tablet of Fate? Are we all just actors in a movie that God has scripted?
I ask this because I do not think I have the free will to change much of anything in my life yet I feel like I need to change many things. But I cannot seem to change them. I am very strong willed person so whenever I set out to do something it gets done, but I cannot seem to make up my mind to do certain things and do them, so I feel stuck in a lifestyle I do not like.
Maybe I am stuck because it is not meant to be that I change anything right now, because I am doing what God has willed/scripted for me, or maybe I should be doing these things. One thing I know is that I cannot make myself do things to change my situation even though I am somewhat unhappy with the way certain things are.
This has nothing to do with money because I have plenty of money, much more than I could ever spend in my lifetime, even if I never worked one more day of my life. Time is an issue since there is only so much time, but why can’t I decide to take the time to do things that I feel I need to do? I am not a lazy person, anything but, so that is not the reason. I am also physically fit and mentally capable, so that’s not it either.
Deut 30:19,
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Josh 24:15,
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Judg 10:14,
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
There are many other verses that indicate we choose. Jesus had a choice to die on the cross or not. He didn't particularly want to die, but he chose to ignore his desire and follow that of his Father, Yahweh.
Luke 22:42,
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
I like to look at life as follows:
1) The devil is always voting against us
2) God is always voting for us
So far, the election is tied, 1 for and 1 against. Who breaks the tie?
3) We each cast our own vote to break the tie. We are free to side with either the devil of God.
It always amuses me when people blame God for killing an innocent person (as though there is such a person - another discussion there). What do they think the devil does with his time? Sit around and watch God cause all kinds of problems and then laugh about it?
As far as being stuck, I wouldn't worry about it. Lot's of Bible characters were "stuck" for many years. Moses didn't do anything of importance until he was 80 years old. Paul went off for 3 years after meeting Jesus. Only after that did he return to Jerusalem and begin his ministry. There are other examples.
In any case, this life doesn't always go the way we might want it to go. The devil is pretty sly and tricks all of us every day. We just have to try the best we can, be patient and wait for Jesus to set up a better reality on the new earth.
God gave dominion to man in Genesis 1:26. They in turn transferred it to the devil. When Jesus was tempted in the desert, he didn't argue with the devil when the devil told Jesus he held the power of this world. Jesus knew this world is ruled by the devil. God is most definitely NOT in control. Does this world look like a place run by God who is love, who is light? Doesn't seem like much of a loving place to me. Unless of course, we like wars, famines, droughts, disease, etc.
