When something terrible happens, we may question, “Is this God’s plan? Did God want this thing to happen?” 

Some people answer firmly in the affirmative, believing that they’re demonstrating their abiding faith in God. Though, if we ourselves do something stupid or sinful, did God want us to do it? If yes, then wouldn’t God be responsible for the consequent suffering we get, because ultimately he made us do it? 

Such complexity is best addressed by turning to the Bhagavad-gita (13.23), which declares that God is the overseer and sanctioner of everything, not the desirer or doer of everything. This declaration acknowledges that God has given each one of us free will. And we can misuse that free will to do things that God doesn’t want us to do. 

Does that mean we can defy God’s plan? Not exactly, because God’s plan isn’t simply one pre-decided course of action; it’s more of a direction than a path. He is resourceful enough to further his plan even through our mistakes and missteps. To put succinctly, everything that happens is within God’s plan, even if it’s not God’s plan. 

Understanding how God’s plan works is both sobering and encouraging. Sobering because when things go wrong or when we do wrong, we don’t have to naively or perversely accept such wrongs to be God’s plan – we can resolutely fix things that need fixing. This, in turn, encourages us because we don’t need to lose heart thinking that everything is doomed due to our mistake – God’s plan is still working. 

If we thus keep working in a mood of service to God, he will keep working with us, on us and for us, eventually bringing good even out of the bad. 

 

Think it over:

  • Everything is God’s plan – what are the problems with this assertion?
  • Can we defy God’s plan?
  • How does understanding the nature of God’s plan help us?

 

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13.23 Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.

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