“Ask a Priest: I’m Feeling Lost … Does God Control Our Lives?”

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest
Q: I’ve gone to Catholic school and university, but I’m feeling very lost and distant. Does God control anything that happens in our lives then? I know he gives us gifts and it’s up to us if we use them or not. But for example, does he know (have planned out) where I will be with my life in, say, the next 10 years (job-wise, married, children, etc.)? Thank you. – Hailey

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: Thanks for your question. It’s the kind of question that probably occurs to everyone at one point or another.

Maybe a football analogy will help here.

God gives us certain rules to “play the game” in the moral life. There are boundary lines and norms about when and how the ball can be moved.

Beyond that, God lets us be the quarterback. We can call the plays but need to respect the rules of the game.

God knows where you will be in 10 years, but that doesn’t mean that he has planned things out in the sense that he’s taken away your free will. It’s just that he exists outside of time, so he is equally present to all moments in time — very difficult for us to grasp that.

All of this means that you have a lot of flexibility. This is where you can make the decisions about the path you will take.

Now, all this might seem a bit too open-ended and even scary.

The best thing is to take life one day at a time. This means making time for prayer and the sacraments. It means cultivating the gifts that God gives you (intellect, musical skills, people skills, etc.).

This means looking to do acts of charity for others. It means connecting with a network of friends who share your faith or at least your desire to follow God’s will in the broad sense.

If you do this, life will take shape little by little. You will see where the Holy Spirit is leading you.

A key in all this is your prayer life. You might want to pray a bit each day with the Gospels.

A book that can help you pray the Gospels is The Better Part.

You might want to do a retreat at a solid Catholic retreat center. This would be valuable time to do deeper into your relationship with God.

And stay close to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She will intercede for you.

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!