A Match Made in Heaven (The Great Gatsby)

Many people ignore the utmost importance of one’s fate, which leads to making poor decisions that have great consequences with no purpose at the end; however, he who follows the path set by God will live a life with free will.

God would ultimately desire for people to make the right choices, but more than often people make the wrong choice, which then in return they must pay consequence. Although consequences do help others to get back on track with the path He has set for them. The topic of fate versus free will has been a topic that no one has an ultimate answer to. Most Christians believe that God is in control of our future and most non-believers believe in free will. Kelli Mahoney, a graduate from Illinois State University who studied Psychology and Criminal Justice, argues that God predetermines the future, but at the same time He allows people to make their own choices in the predetermined plan that He creates for each individual. According to Mahoney, “When we have a big decision to make, we should always look to God first. Look at David. He wanted desperately to remain in God's will, so he turned to God often for help. It was the one time that he didn't turn to God that he made the biggest, worst decision of his life.” This shows that it is okay to make for people to make decisions of their own as long as they do not forsake Him for their own selfish desires.

God is the one who plans everything, but He also gives people the option to make their own choices, which ultimately is what makes them who they are. The Bible is clear about how God has plans for each individual person, but He also gives the choice to choose between good and evil. Although for the most part people choose the evil or goodness their fate stays the same, but just the road changes. Many believers think that fate and free will coexist together by way of fate being the never changing plan and free will changing the path to the fate decided by people. According to 2 Peter 3:9, “the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Usually fate and free will are two things that are always put against each other by others, but there are many cases where they coexist.

Free will is not necessarily a bad thing but at the same time it is not as safe as fate, because humans make mistakes that have extreme consequences, especially when they don’t follow the plan that God has set for them. The Great Gatsby is a great example of following free will or fate. Gatsby wanted to be rich the moment he met Dan Cody, which meant that he was willing to follow after his dream by way of corruption instead of reality. Gatsby’s innocent dream by way of corruption shows that though free will is not necessarily a bad thing, at the same time it is not as safe as fate, because people make mistakes that have extreme consequences, especially when they don’t follow the plan that God has set for them. I think that there is nothing wrong with people making decisions of their own unless they go totally against God’s plan for them. F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American Novelist and the writer of the Great Gatsby once said, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” Many try to make everything they want into a possibility even if the regrets from the past hold them back, after all the past is a cruel jailor.

Existence of fate is one of the world's most unknown questions. And free will is one of the world's most sought after things. Both are two trains running on the same track, in opposite directions, believed to be destined to collide by others. Yet, fate is God’s plan and free will is the path one takes to reach their fate, both able to coexist. Therefore, two things once seen as mortal enemies are not meant to be against one another, but rather coexist to guide individuals to the mysterious journey to find their goal in life while choosing the path.