of fate...and of God

i wanted to blog an entry about the turnaround of my life since one year ago (exact to the month) but i realise that i had already done that (click here)..well kind of anyway! so rather than telling you all about my lovely girlfriend and how God has changed my life, i thought i'd do a more "serious" entry - putting my thoughts about this thing called "fate" into words. before you 1) close this window or 2) surf on to another blog, thinking this is going to be a religion bashing and christian life promoting entry, let me assure you that it is neither.

so what is the difference between "fate" and "God's plan"?

dictionary.com defines "fate" as:
1) the supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events,
2) the inevitable events predestined by this force,
3) a final result or consequence; an outcome and
4) unfavorable destiny; doom.

most definitions of "fate" inevitably contains this element of assumption - "supposed force", "presumably", "element of chance" etc. this also means that people who believe in "fate" are saying that their lives are already "predetermined" and "predestined" by this unknown element of chance and assumption. which, also means that we do not have a free will because we can run and we can hide or we can stand still but the same things will still happen because ultimately, everything is "fated" for us.

but that is not true is it? because life is not like that. life is not all "fated". it is just like if you just lost your job but within a few weeks of searching you landed a new job, that is not "fate". "fate" predetermines that the "new job" will happen to you regardless of situation or of circumstance. but if you lost your old job and just sat at home waiting for "fate" to happen, the only thing inevitable is that nothing will happen. so then, how can "fate" (the new job in this case) be predetermined and be inevitable?

therein lies the key difference between "fate" and "God's plan". you may say, but God's plan also predetermines the people you will meet and the things you will do. not so, God's plan always involves choices and a free will. that is, nothing is predetermined unless you make the choice to do it. you retain the right to live your life, even if it means you choose to walk away from God. for example, God may choose to use you to help someone in need, but you can choose not to do so, you are free to make that choice.

one story i always repeat to my friends is that of a person who is stuck in a flood. God can send a log, a boat or even a helicopter his way. but if he does not choose to use any of these, it is inevitable that he will drown. so is it God's plan that this person should drown? no. but it is because he withheld his own free will in those moments that he (pardon the pun) met his "fate".

i know that there will still be skeptics but just remember that "fate" cannot happen if there are choices to be made - simply because there is a different outcome between "choice 1", "choice 2", "choice 3" and doing nothing. and when life is all about choices, ultimately, the only "fate" is the one you (not God, not your parents, not your friends but you) choose for yourself!