It’s a common expression, a common hope, a common theme. God has a plan for your life, a purpose for your existence. And finding or recognizing your purpose is a common struggle.

Logically, there’s just one big problem with this hopeful sentiment. It is in direct conflict with the premise that God gave humans free will.

What if God has a task for you, but your response is “thanks, but no thanks. I’ll pass?” What if you exercise your free will to decline God’s invitation? Does God have a plan B? Does God have a list of candidates to replace you?

Is there a penalty for refusing to participate? Do you even have the option to choose another path?

The logical answers to most of these questions are actually quite evident in the Bible. And you are already familiar with most of them.If we step back a bit from our view of Bible stories, we might find that some of the principle actors in these events applied for the job. Maybe they didn’t actively seek out the lead role in mankind’s evolving play, but they were tested – and they passed the test. They got the job.

Viewing many of the events described in the Bible through our logical lens, we can recognize that most of these stories involve individuals who were tested either before or during the acts they performed. In other words, while they may have been chosen, they still had to qualify for the job. They had to prove themselves worthy of the task assigned to them.

For those of us who feel we could never be worthy of even the smallest part in God’s plan, we need to recognize that not all of God’s chosen were qualified right out of the gate. Noah had a bit of a drinking problem, Moses had to be persuaded and Samson had a problem with the ladies.

In other words, God offered an opportunity to flawed human beings because all were flawed to some degree. But each ultimately proved worthy of the assignment. Perhaps God had no need for a plan B since he chose the right candidates.

So, for each of us, our flaws do not disqualify us from being part of God’s plan. More importantly, we might recognize that God doesn’t force us into servitude. He offers us the opportunity.

And, perhaps we too are tested. We may not find ourselves tossed into a den of lions or swallowed by a large fish, but maybe we encounter subtle tests to determine if we have a part in God’s larger plan. Perhaps the choices we make when we are confronted with the homeless, the lost and the sick in spirit are our tests.

Perhaps God’s plan for each of us is simple.

Perhaps God’s plan for us isn’t fixed, but an opportunity and we need to be alert for that moment, and be prepared to act as He would wish.

Your opportunity is God’s plan.