Can Anyone Block the Fulfillment of God's Purpose for Your Life?

 

Man’s Free Will or the Will of God?

I sometimes wonder if anyone can cause another person not to achieve what they are supposed to in life. We hear others say that a person changed the course of history through an action. Is this really the case or were the events intended to have unfolded that way by design? We often grapple with questions of destiny, purpose, and whether our lives are subject to divine intervention or human will and intervention. Can anyone prevent or hinder the fulfillment of God's purpose for an individual? This topic has perplexed many people and there have been discussions and debates about it for centuries. The perspective a person takes is often influenced by their belief and experiences in life. As Christians, the word of God is what we use as our guide when exploring these kinds of topics. In spite of this, there are different opinions about it.

 

God’s Sovereignty

As Christians, we believe that God is in control of all things and holds ultimate authority over our lives and the entire universe. In Isaiah 14:27, it is proclaimed, "For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?" This verse underscores the absolute sovereignty of God, emphasizing that His plans cannot be thwarted by human efforts or external circumstances. This sometimes makes it difficult for us to understand events that we experience, especially when they are bad. We find it difficult to understand why God would allow such things to happen. Job 42:2 of the Bible states, "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." This verse, along with others, is often interpreted to mean that human actions cannot derail God's intentions. Have faith that whatever blessings God has in store for you, He has given the grace for fulfillment.

 

Man’s Free Will and Choices

The Bible also teaches that man makes choices. An example of this can be found in Matthew 23:37, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”  Instead of “… not willing” the King James version states “… you would not!”. This shows that the people made decisions that were not in keeping with what God wanted them to do.

 

I have encountered people who made it their mission to try to disrupt other people’s lives deliberately. Sometimes they do so because they are envious of the other person who sometimes has no idea that this person is responsible for what they are experiencing. They will stop at nothing to try to prevent that person from being successful at whatever they are doing. In some cases that person may have many more earthly possessions than the other person they are persecuting, but that does not seem to matter to them. They are only happy if they can find a way to make the other person’s life miserable. That is a mission they have chosen for themselves.

 

James 1:13-16 states,” Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.” This means that we make our choices regarding what we want to do or not do. A friend of mine once told me that on her way home she had a strong urge to take the alternate route. She did not and ended up being involved in an accident. She felt that had she followed that internal prompting she would have avoided the accident. The still small voice was guiding her, but she did not follow it.

 

God’s Providence and Our Choices

The New Testament further explores the relationship between God’s divine providence and our human choices. In Acts 5:38-39, Gamaliel, a Pharisee, and member of the Jewish ruling council, offers wise counsel regarding the early Christian movement. He said, "Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

 

Here, Gamaliel acknowledges the limitations of human intervention in thwarting God's purpose. If something is truly ordained by God, human efforts to oppose it will ultimately be futile. This passage underscores the idea that while humans have agency, God's sovereignty ultimately prevails, and His purpose cannot be thwarted. Another example is Jonah the prophet who refused to go to Nineveh to deliver God’s prophecy to the people. He felt that the people would repent after hearing the warning, God would forgive them, and they would then think of him as a false prophet. He delivered the message after he tried to escape on a boat and God caused a storm and the sailors threw him overboard to save their lives. God allowed a whale to swallow him and spew him out on the shore of Nineveh, the place he did not want to go to. He exercised his free will, but it was overruled by God in His infinite wisdom.

 

Another example of an individual who, despite facing significant challenges and opposition, ultimately fulfilled his divine purpose was Moses. He overcame his initial reluctance and self-doubt to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, as narrated in the book of Exodus. His journey from fugitive to leader exemplifies that God’s calling can override human limitations and obstacles.

 

 

A Dynamic Relationship and Hope in God's Promise

The question of whether anyone can stop the fulfillment of God's purpose for a person's is an intricate intertwining between divine sovereignty and the ability given to us humans to make our own choices. While God's purpose ultimately prevails, humans are not mere pawns in a predetermined script. Instead, we are active participants in a dynamic relationship with a sovereign God who invites us to participate in His unfolding plan.

 

Many believe that each person has a unique role to play in the grand scheme of things and that aligning oneself with this purpose is key to a fulfilling life. This belief encourages individuals to seek spiritual guidance and to trust in the journey, even when the path is unclear or fraught with difficulties. In life's uncertainties, Christians find solace in the promise articulated in Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." This verse reassures believers that even in the face of adversity or opposition, God is continually at work, orchestrating events for the ultimate good of His people.  Along our path to fulfill God's purpose, we may encounter challenges, opposition, and setbacks. These obstacles do not in any way diminish the sovereignty of God or His ability to accomplish His purposes through us. Rather, they serve as opportunities for growth, resilience, and deeper trust in His faithfulness. We may not see those obstacles as opportunities in real time as they are happening but many of us have looked back at them giving thanks that they occurred. As the saying goes, “Hindsight is twenty-twenty.”

 

 

Steadfast Trust and Total Surrender for Fulfillment of God’s Purpose.

Ultimately, the key to living according to God’s will and purpose lies in embracing trust and surrendering to God's will. As 2 Corinthians 5:5 reminds us, "Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." God has intricately designed each of us for a specific purpose, and He equips us with the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us along the way. We may not have a literal compass but if we are tuned in to the Holy Spirit and how He communicates with us we will have all the guidance that we need. Trust in Jesus’ grace for purpose to be fulfilled in your life as He has ordained it.

 

The fulfillment of God's purpose for a person's life has many complex threads of divine sovereignty and human choices intertwined to create the end result. While God's plans cannot be thwarted, He invites us to actively participate in His redemptive work in the world. As we navigate life's journey, may we find assurance in God's unchanging purpose, trusting that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6).