"Your mission...

should you choose to accept it." I've never seen any of the Mission Impossible films, but even I have heard this quote. Predestination is a widely discussed and disputed topic. Personally, I prefer the term fore-ordination. In C. S. Lewis' Perelandra he explores the topic of God given missions--whether or not we are predestined to do things and whether God's plan hangs in the balance if we do not perform our assigned duties. C. S. Lewis illustrates (and I agree) that there are things that God has asked us to do and that are part of our "mission" per say, but God's plan and His purposes will be fulfilled even if we choose not to do our part. One of the most important parts of God's eternal plan is that each of us has been granted agency. Not one of us is forced to choose good or evil, to act or not to act. If we use our agency to not fulfill the mission God has for us, His plan will not be thwarted. He will provide another way. But perhaps we were the best candidate for the job. Or, even more importantly, perhaps the experience would have helped us become stronger, more patient, more kind, more diligent, more humble--more like our Father in Heaven. The whole purpose of this life is for us to prove ourselves, to show our Father that we will be obedient even when it's inconvenient and that our ultimate desire is to do His will. When we reach that point we give our will over to Him, and in return He hands us back our true selves. That is the greatest reward for accepting our mission here on earth and fulfilling it to the best of our ability.