Opinion: God Has a Plan

Franklin Allen

Written by Franklin Allen/Edited by Darren Joseph

You are here for a reason. You may have heard this before, but do you really believe it? You’ve made many little choices along the way that have shaped your life, and here you are. At times it may seem difficult to believe that your free will is a part of God’s perfect plan.

At the end of the day I am exhausted. My cell phone is calling my name. I want to do anything I can to stop thinking. I find myself daydreaming, “Maybe I can beat my high score. I wonder what she thinks about my post. I wonder what he’s up to. I’ll just clear my notifications.”

Before I know it, homework is piling up, and studying for my exam is a favorite pasttime. When life becomes overwhelming, I ask myself, “Which direction is the rope?”  When I play tug of war against the world, the world always wins. Blisters and rope burn are my reward. But when the rope is being lowered from heaven, I begin swinging carefree. I know God is stronger than me, but I still struggle to trust in Him.

God reached into my life and saved me. After making a little decision to trust completely in God, I found myself in the middle of Asia on a self-funded mission trip. As I stood on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, in a country where I didn’t speak the local language, I began to question everything. I had no idea where I would sleep that night, my translator had stopped working, and the military had stopped me from going the only way forward. I looked up to heaven with tears in my eyes and said, “God, I’m yours.” Just then, I turned to find an abandoned path into the mountains.

I lived there for three weeks and God granted me a divine appointment with a woman who was an English translator. We are still friends to this day.

God has brought you here to SWAU for a reason. We are all here together at this exact moment in time because God cares. Maybe you have grown up inside the church and you’re tired of it. Maybe something horrible has changed your life forever. You wonder, “How could God do this?” Death, suffering, and pain are waiting at every turn. Maybe you’ve taken the bull by the horns.

No matter what, you’ve decided, “I will succeed!” Maybe this path has left you alone. Whatever it may be that’s causing you to hold back, God has sent the ultimate apology letter through the man Jesus Christ.

Even though it wasn’t His fault, He wants to comfort you. He’s given you a promise that He will be your strength. Every person must humble their heart before God and say, “I’m sorry too.” His Spirit is promised in abundant supply to all those who love Him and keep His commandments. (John 14:15) In God’s eyes you are beautiful.

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