[God] predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Ephesians 1:5 (NIV)

In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.

Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)

Some people believe predestination refers to God choosing for His salvation purpose while excluding others. In fact, predestination reveals God's character. Out of His great love and good pleasure, God is and has been working out everything to make everyone His own salvation was not God's "Plan B" to reverse the fall of creation. As opposed to this, God's adoption of us as His spiritual children through Jesus Christ has always been "Plan A"—even before the creation of the universe.

In the Bible, adoption marks a son's coming of age when his father bestows upon him all of the privileges and rights that are rightfully his. By nature, or by birth, we were not God’s children or heirs (John 1:12). Rather, we were "children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:2) and "children of disobedience," but we were adopted by God's grace (Ephesians 2:3).

By adopting us, God is giving us all that belongs to His beloved Son. Right now, you share the same status, standing, inheritance and rights as Jesus. You cannot be any more blessed in Christ than you already are. As Christ is, so are you in this world (1 John 4:17).

Our prayers and thoughts often carry the idea that God is somehow holding out on us. And we need to manipulate God to get what He has already freely given us in Christ. This lack of faith demonstrates a misunderstanding of our significance as God's children.

You will wind up blaming God for everything that is wrong in your life or the world if you are unable to accept that He is all loving, good and generous. Your relationship with God will be a strained and unhappy one unless you can learn to rest in the revelation that your heavenly Father calls you out of His pleasure and purpose. Then the confident mystery of God's love will overshadow the confusing enigma of suffering and fear.

God is able to sovereignly work everything for your good and for His glory because everything in life must conform to His plan. You might only see chaos and disarray, but God sees opportunities and possibilities to reveal your completion in Christ. That is, you are whole and complete in Christ and have no need for anything else, regardless of your situation.