Has anyone lost their mind a bit thinking about how powerful our agency is, and yet realizing that God is omniscient?

There is a God who knows exactly what will happen tomorrow. In your personal life, in your kid’s life, in your neighborhood, in this country…

And yet we each have the personal power to do whatever we’d like to do tomorrow.

Crazy. My mind can’t quite wrap itself around that concept.

But I think that’s why we are so good at thinking we might mess everything up.

We might move to the wrong house, talk to the wrong person, choose the wrong spouse, or make the wrong diet choice.

Because we think that if there is a “right” choice to choose, then we have to avoid the “wrong” thing that will mess it all up.

Now certainly there are sins and decisions that might bring terrible consequences.

But even if I decide to do something truly horrible tomorrow… I will not have messed up God’s plan.

You have not messed up God’s plan.

That thing that you refer to as your “mistake”? It was all a part of the plan. Of your personal spiritual development.

Even something as egregious as a prophet of God choosing to ask a question he knew had already been answered, and loaning out precious translations of ancient records.

Even that can’t ruin God’s plans.

“The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated”. Doctrine and Covenants 3:1.

I still want to give it my best each day. I want to choose the right, to receive personal revelation, and to make the best decisions that I can.

But I can feel comfort on the days where everything seems to fall apart. Or when I commit that sin… again. Or when I think how much better life would have been with a different decision.

I’m not messing anything up.

I’m not that powerful.

I can make changes in my life, just as the young prophet learned an unforgettable lesson about listening to God the first time.

But I’m not messing it up.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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6 Responses

  1. Some people call it fate and remove any responsibility for themselves. As stated, God know what we will do in any given circumstance. But we don’t. Seems that is part of our proving; to prove to ourselves what we are willing to do, or not, to return to our Heavenly Father. God knows us and what we are; we don’t necessarily understand ourselves.

    1. It’s nice to remember that our Heavenly Father knows us so well. We just need to work on understanding ourselves. Thank you for your insight.

  2. “Has anyone lost their mind a bit thinking about how powerful our agency is, and yet realizing that God is omniscient?”

    Yup. Always looking for the “right choice”. Ashamed and defeated if I make the wrong one. Knowing I have agency to choose and knowing that God knows what my choices will be almost seem contradictory. Nice to know God can accomplish His plans despite my “goofs”!

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