Did He really say that?

Ephesians 2:10: 

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

This is one of the most valuable verses in the Bible for you, if you ever wondered, "Do I really have a purpose? Is my life just a series of chance events?"

It may seem so at times, but it's not.  Your life is in God's hands, and in God's plans.  You do have a choice, of course, whether to fit into His plans, but why decide not to follow His direction? 

The interesting thing is that God is not as restrictive as you may think.  He has all sorts of good intended for you, forever.  The things you really want to do in your life are normally His plan for you.  If you love banking, be a banker.  If you love art, be an artist.  God releases His great power within us to help us accomplish much more than we could alone as we fulfill our dreams and live our life for Him at the same time. He does this because, of all the beings in the universe, He has our best interests in mind.  The difference between Him and others (like, for example, your mother), is that He knows everything.  So while Mom may say, "Art will never pay you a living wage," God knows that you are the next Monet. And she may be right. You may be "discovered" after you live a life of difficulty and financial suffering (and lots of "second jobs").  But.  If God's plan is for you to pursue something, go for it.  

You really don't have to ask His permission, either.  He usually informs us of His will by the things that WE like, as the writer says, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." If you love and enjoy God, and go for what you really want, you're doing the things "He planned for you long ago..."

Knowing and loving God brings wonderful freedom, not restriction.

Jesus said, "I have come that [you] might have life, and that you might have it abundantly."

All these messages contain within them the idea that what you like, if you indeed love Him, is what He wants, too.

Surprising? Yes.  Especially when you thought that only pastors and preachers could really fit into God's plans.  But if you read the Bible, you find farmers, nomads, government bureaucrats, businessmen, mothers, sons, dads, day laborers, executives, kings, peasants, priests, pastors, doctors, writers, and every other profession or trade that existed in those days.  It's the same today.  God loves you.  And if you love Him, you can enjoy life completely.