Heavenly Blueprint or Empty Canvas?

by Nathan Shaw

Many Christians want to walk in destiny but struggle to know God’s plan for their lives. When it comes to walking in destiny there are two common perspectives. The first perspective is based on heavenly blueprints. The process goes something like this: Discover the heavenly blueprint that God has for your life; and then, live your life according to its content. The second perspective is based on empty canvases. The process goes something like this: You are a free-will being; your life is a gift from God; you get to shape and color the canvas of your life.

The first perspective is based on a blueprint that is already finalized. The second perspective is based on an empty canvas which is in the process of being shaped and formed. The first perspective emphasizes God’s initiative. The second perspective emphasizes human initiative. Both perspectives are biblical and accurate. The Bible clearly portrays walking with God as a covenant relationship in which both parties take initiative.

Imagine for a moment that God gifts you with a house. It is the perfect house for you and enables you to accomplish everything He has called you to do. Think of the house as your destiny. You can move anywhere in the house and you will remain in God’s will. But God doesn’t dictate how you are to decorate and furnish the house. In fact, He wants you to give each room its own unique expression. He may give you suggestions for each room, and He will certainly help you implement your design, but ultimately He wants you to take the initiative. It’s your house. He gifted it to you and He’s excited to see what you will do with it. God did it this way because He wants sons and daughters, not robots.

The heavenly blueprint perspective leads a person to pursue the blueprint and wait for the unfolding revelation. The empty canvas perspective leads a person to take initiative in the here-and-now and fine-tune things as they go—much like an artist who keeps painting until they are happy with the final outcome. So which metaphor is the correct one: heavenly blueprint or empty canvas? The answer is both. It is only when we bind ourselves to one perspective or the other that all sorts of problems start to emerge.

Finding the Blueprint

How do we discover the heavenly blueprints God has for our lives? The answer is very simple: Seek God. Sometimes God reveals His blueprints for our lives through dramatic encounters, but more often they are discovered through the everyday activity of walking with Him. The heavenly blueprint perspective can lead to healthy pursuit, but it can also lead to frustration and despair.

Those who pursue heavenly blueprints, and discover them, have the satisfaction of knowing what they are called to do. Those who pursue heavenly blueprints, but don’t discover them, end up frustrated. Such people reason, “Surely it would be easier if I could simply go to the blueprint library, find my specific blueprint, and then live the life I am destined to live.” Heavenly blueprints are real, but seeing only from this perspective can lead to a life of frantic pursuit, endless frustration, crippling despair and overwhelming paralysis.

Another problem is idealism. Heavenly blueprints are perfect, whereas life on earth is far from perfect. If we are not careful, wrongly focusing on a perfect blueprint can lead to an idealistic way of thinking and a life of striving after unobtainable ideals. Those who have the energy and the drive continue to strive. But those who become overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task, give up in despair.

The exhortation to seek God is an invitation to joyful pursuit. He is the perfect One and He invites us to discover Him each and every day of our lives. Heavenly blueprints are found in the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of God is liberating in every way.

Coloring the Canvas

When God created us He gave us the gift of life and the gift of free-will. The way we value these gifts is by using them. Life isn’t given to us already formed, it’s an empty canvas. By His design we get to shape and color our lives by the decisions we make and the actions we take. Even although God has a heavenly blueprint for our lives, He wants us to answer questions like, “What do I want to do with my life?” and, “How do I want my life to count?” God doesn’t direct every minute detail of our lives. Walking with God doesn’t mean not taking initiative. To the contrary, God created us as free-will beings and He loves it when we take initiative, make plans, and color the canvas of our lives.

Notice the two verbs used in Proverbs 16:9: “A person plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps” (emphasis added). We plan. God directs. God’s directing is much more powerful than our planning, but our planning is still important. Our planning and His directing are two sides of one coin. His divine activity makes something profound out of our plans. God actually works with our initiative. The super-religious are too frightened to take initiative or make plans. Fearful people don’t take initiative. Lazy people don’t take initiative. But faith-filled people actually take initiative.

The wisdom in Proverbs 16:9 alleviates anxiety about us making wrong plans, because even if we make wrong plans, God still directs our steps. When we understand this, anxiety is replaced with trusting diligence. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “paraclete” (John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7). The Greek word “paraclete” means “one who walks alongside” or “helper” The Holy Spirit is the Helper, not the Doer. Walking with God means responding to His voice and His leading, but it also means making decisions and taking initiative.

Blueprint and Canvas Together

There is a heavenly blueprint for your life. Pursue the blueprint. But realize that your life is also an empty canvas gifted to you by God. Color and shape the canvas. Life your live. Live larger than life. Have expression. Learn, grow and discover. Those who religiously wait for God’s “perfect will” and “perfect plan” invariably miss out on living their lives in the here-and-now. Don’t get caught in that trap. Whether you have one day, one year, or several decades left on this earth—live your best life yet.

© 2025 Nathan Shaw.

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