What is God’s plan?
By A. J. Singh

ONCE there lived a wiseman who always gave the right answer to every question. A mischievous boy sought to trap him. He held a small bird in his closed hand and asked the wiseman: "Is this bird in my hand alive or dead?" The wiseman thought if he said the bird was dead, the boy would open his hand and let the bird fly. And if he told the boy the bird was alive, the boy would give his hand a quick squeeze that will kill the bird and then open his hand to show the dead bird.

Strangely, the wiseman instead of looking at the boy’s hand looked straight into his eyes and calmly said: "My son, it is whatever you wish."

That is how it is with all of us. The life we live can be lived in any way! God’s (call it what you like Allah, Bhagwan, nature and so on) way or some other. That is our choice.

"What is God’s plan for my life?" This is a question we are bound to ask ourselves at one point of time or the other in our life. Usually when we do that we are at the crossroads of life not knowing which road to take.

Of course, people who ask this question are believers in God and His purpose in creating us as well as the world we live in. It is another matter that with our limited intelligence or understanding we haven’t yet been able to know his ‘purpose’ or may never come to know it. At least, till today it is a mystery. At the same time what sets us apart from the animals is that we humans always search for reasons why we are here in the world. And, sooner or later, a question looms large before each of us: "What does God want me to do in life? Or what’s God’s plan for me?" This question may arise out of some frustrating situation one may be facing at some stage of one’s life. That seemed to have been the case with a lovely young lady who in acute distress asked a counsellor: "I’m fed up with living. There is nothing for me in life."

The counsellor who knew her for a long time looked into her eyes and said: "It’s God’s will for you to sing for the radio and the TV." The lady shot back: "How do you know?" The counsellor said: "Because I know you have a talent for singing." He told her that since the local radio station was looking for persons like her, why doesn’t she get in touch with the director of the station? She did. Today she not only sings regularly for the radio and TV stations but has cut her first album of songs with a recording company.

So, when ability and opportunity come together, whether in a small obscure way or in some prominent manner, this is clearly indicative of the will of God as far as you are concerned. And this can come through direct of the providence or through some special revelation of God.

This happened with Dr Albert Schweitzer, the Nobel Peace Prize winner. God directly unfolded his plan to him. This is how the story goes.

When this happened Schweitzer was already a well-known personality in the world of music, medicine, teaching and religion. Yet he was not happy since he did not know what God wanted him to do or what was God’s plan for him.

However, a few days later as he was clearing off his desk, he came across a little magazine of Paris Missionary Society lying in his accumulated mail. Strange enough, this magazine was addressed to a neighbour but by mistake the postman had put it in Schweitzer’s mail box. Out of sheer curiosity Schweitzer glanced through it and came across an article entitled: "The needs of the Congo Mission."

By the time he finished reading this article, Dr Schweitzer exclaimed that his search was over. He went to Congo and founded and ran one of the biggest hospitals in Africa.

Was it an accident that the postman put the title magazine in the wrong mail box? Was it also an accident that the magazine lay unnoticed until the moment Dr Schweitzer’s mind was open to receive direction? For a man of faith, the answer to both the questions is ‘yes’ as God often works in mysterious ways.

This is illustrated by this case. Once a man came to see C.L. Allen, a well-known American writer. He said: "If somebody doesn’t tell me what to do I’ll go crazy." Allen asked him to make him understand clearly his problem or situation he was facing. After the man did this, Allen asked him a few questions to clear some points he did not quite understand.

For a few minutes after that Allen sat silently. Then turning towards the man, Allen asked him how he himself looked at his own situation and what he thought he ought to do. On this, the man hesitated a moment and then said: "Well, this is what I’ve thought would be the best," and outlined a marvellous solution.

Hearing it with rapt attention, Allen said: "That seems to me a fine answer to your problem." On this the man got up, fervently thanked Allen and told him that he (Allen) was the most sensible person he had ever talked to.

And yet Allen had done nothing for the man except encouraged him to use his own mind. The problem with the man was he had the ability to find the answer but his reason was overpowered by fear and panic. This can happen to all of us when instead of thinking and reasoning we are controlled by our passions and selfish desires.

Those who believe in God and live close to Him can feel his presence and through it His will. In truth, by knowing God we know His will. And in loving God we want to do His will. So, the sure test to learn God’s will or plan for you is to recognise that when ability and opportunity come knocking together at your door, accept both with all the humility you can muster and go ahead. Expectedly, the path will have a usual mix of happiness and unhappiness but you will always feel his presence in everything you do as also his blessings. What more can one ask from life?