God's path.. or God-given free will...

If God's plan for someone was to die of being murdered does that mean he intended for the murderer to kill this person? I know that God is loving and wouldn't want any of us to kill but I just don't understand how his plan could include that for someone.


- Puzzled

Dear Puzzled,

God has given each human being a free will and people can use that free will for good or for evil. Since God is all-knowing, God knows how people will use that gift of free will but that does not mean that he determines what they will do. You and I know that the sun will come up each morning but that doesn't mean that we make it come up each day. God knows what we will do with freedom but that doesn't mean that God determines what we do with our free will.


- Fr. Gary

So.. i'm reading this.. and i'm like.. what???

I've spent the majority of my early adulthood trying to accept the fact that God has a laid-out plan for me.. and I am just doing things according to His will.. He's got it all laid out and every hurt.. every pain.. every joy.. every laugh.. was part of His plan..

Now I'm reading this.. and it's telling me.. I'm doing things according to my own will.. it's all up to me.. He knows what kind of person I am and will be.. but he doens't make the decisions.. i do..

I understood that as a child.. whenever I would lie about something.. i was always told.."only God knows what you are doing.."

Then... as I got older.. i was told "things happen for a reason.. it's all God's will"

Then.. what about all this "thy will be done.." stuff in the Lord's Prayer..

So.. now.. are they telling me there is no such thing as "God's will?" And that I make my own destiny.. and God will judge me in the end? And.. all the bad things that happened... they are bad things and God had nothing to do with them..

Does that mean that nothing happens for a reason.. that.. they just happen... and it's up to us to do with it..

Gosh... it's like i've been jolted... it's like.. i don't really know what to believe about my life.. and the events of my life..

I'd like to think that we all have a plan.. a somewhat pre-determined plan.. that everything that we do.. and every thing that happens was because God wanted it to happen.. that He has a will for us.. "Thy Will be done.." we pray that all the time.. and now they are telling me that i make my own plans.. God just watches...

If God just watches.. does he ever really intervene.. is there really a such thing as "divine intervention?"

And if He just watches.. then.. what good are prayers? You pray and pray for something to happen.. but.. if He's just watching.. then.. all He is doing is listening.. it's up to us to really make those prayers come true... not Him..

Am I being a bad Catholic??? Or should I continue to search for something that makes more sense? I thought that Catholism made sense to me.. and in a lot of ways.. it does.. but.. after hearing that.. it's giving me those questions again...

And here's a new one.. is God doing this to me in order to strengthen my relationship with him.. or not??? What is the reason behind all this??? Why is this coming up in my life now.. especially when I am teaching children the works of God.. and of our faith.. why is this coming up now???