Going into the latter half of my third year of college, I can say that my view of Christianity and what it means to be a follower of Christ has indeed expanded, changed, and grown. I think this expansion and better understanding has been a direct result of me experiencing college. Because of college, I have been forced to make decisions that have brought me immense joy, that have caused me pain, that have forced me to overcome challenges and obstacles, and that have prepared me for success academically, personally, and spiritually.

And I made all of these decisions by the grace of God, who gave me the gift of free will.

Because of this gift, God guarantees his creation that they will fail; by giving us the power of free will, God knows right off the bat that we are going to make choices that cause us to sin, that cause us to suffer, and that ultimately cause us to draw away from Him. Because of this gift, however, God also redeems us; He gives us the chance to repent for our sins and draw closer to Him and His immeasurable love. Our free will simultaneously guarantees our inevitable failure and our ability to choose God time and time again.

Yes, God has a plan. He has a plan for each and every one of us, and he has a collective plan for the whole world. I think that God's plan includes giving humanity the gift of free will; by saying that God is control, we ultimately reject His gift of free will while failing to recognize our ability to control our earthly life through behaviors, actions, and decisions.

So... What decisions will you make?