I think ultimately, we have free will, but we are also ushered along by the powers that be. We still have the choice to go with or resist their influence. I always liked the analogy that we're steering the boat, but we don't control the wind. We can try to steer against the wind and no doubt, piloting the boat becomes harder. Or we can allow the wind to push us and the journey because easier.
But the wind in this case isn't authority, in the sense that were used to in, incarnate. It's merely help & support. Sometimes we have to do it the hard way, before we learn our lessons and learn to trust the "wind". It's like with my son, he wanted this video card for his computer and it cost 500$. It had a plastic bezel on it he wanted to take off and paint and I told him not do it, but he did it anyway and in the process, he broke off a part and now the card is useless. So now he is going to take the money he earns from his summer job to buy a new one.
I don't think free will is more complicated than that. I gave him the benefit of my experience and support and he chose to do it anyway. He ultimately has now chosen a harder path when that money could have been used for something else, rather than replacing the card.
But the wind in this case isn't authority, in the sense that were used to in, incarnate. It's merely help & support. Sometimes we have to do it the hard way, before we learn our lessons and learn to trust the "wind". It's like with my son, he wanted this video card for his computer and it cost 500$. It had a plastic bezel on it he wanted to take off and paint and I told him not do it, but he did it anyway and in the process, he broke off a part and now the card is useless. So now he is going to take the money he earns from his summer job to buy a new one.
I don't think free will is more complicated than that. I gave him the benefit of my experience and support and he chose to do it anyway. He ultimately has now chosen a harder path when that money could have been used for something else, rather than replacing the card.