God's Control

this week i started reading rick warren's "the purpose driven life". i'm not much of a reader. so for me to read a book or at least start to read a book i must have a reason. my main reason for buying the book is that i've heard a lot of people talk about the book which has sparked my curious side. another reason i bought the book is because it is a self improvement book, and that is about all i am willing to read. finally i bought the book to read because it only cost me $3.25. if it cost me more than $5.00 i wouldn't have bought it.

i'm not far enough into the book to give it a review. i've only read the first two chapters, but the second chapter has bothered me a bit. rick states in chapter two that God has planned everyday of our lives from birth to death. personally i have a hard time accepting this belief. i believe that he brings us into this world as well as takes us away. i also believe that God has the power to plan everyday of my life, but i don't believe he does. maybe it is because i need it to make sense in my head. i feel that if i believe that God plans every day of our lives the system breaks down.

what do i mean by this. well, i've been taught that God gave me free will. this means that i have the ability to make choices. this means i have a certain amount of control over events in my life. this means that i choose whether to believe that Jesus, son of God, came to earth to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of my sins. this means that i and everyone else makes a choice that either leads to our salvation or condemnation. when i'm told that God plans everyday of our existance. it makes it sound like we are all pieces in a game of life. it makes it sound as if God chooses who goes to heaven and who doesn't. it isn't God's choice whether i go to heaven or not. it is my choice because of the gift that God has given me. the gift of free will. maybe i'm reading the chapter wrong? maybe i need to read it again? maybe i need to finish the book before i start going on and on about this?