Is There a Reason for Everything?

A fresh grave. A handicapped child. A fire, flood, or tornado.

When the sad or tragic occurs, would-be comforters and sometimes the grieving persons themselves may seek consolation in the words, “Everything happens for a reason.” Perhaps we acquired this thinking when we were only a few years old, asking our parents “Why?” until they wearied of our questions and answered, “Because I said so,” or even “Just because.” We may have studied Newton’s laws in our science class, learning that “for every action, there is an equal reaction,” and supposed that if we searched hard enough we could figure out the cause of any circumstance—but finally had to admit, “I don’t understand.” Sadly, sometimes Christians use “the will of God” as a convenient catch phrase for the unexplainable: “I guess it was just God’s will.”

No, no, no. There is not a plausible reason for everything. It is useless in some situations to search for a reason. There is not a way to prevent every sad event. We live in a broken world, in a society crippled by centuries of hereditary sinning. Bad things do happen. Tragedies do occur. Argue as we may, “But if he—she—I—had only . . .” that would not have ensured a different outcome. Many people have done just what he, she, or I have done and the same terrible thing did not happen.

There is, however, potential purpose in everything. Whether or not I find that purpose is not entirely up to me; understanding may come soon, it may come late, or it may not come at all. But whether or not I embrace the purpose is up to me. “I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) Do I believe that? With all my heart. God loves me, and desires relationship with me. He is not going to harm me. Life may beat me up with its disappointments and sorrows, but I do not have to question, “How could this be happening to me?” or search for “What have I done wrong?” In time, it will all be plain. Or not. It is that last part that is so difficult because we do not like not knowing and not understanding.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” (II Timothy 1:12 NLT) At the time, Paul was in prison, entrusting whatever it was he was feeling into God’s keeping. I too can entrust to God my sorrow, confusion, hurt, and the questions for which there are no answers. He does not say to me, “Just because.” He does not say, “Think hard and you’ll come up with the reason.” He doesn’t even say, “It was just my will.” He says, “Trust Me. I understand your pain.”

Related articles:
What Job Learned about Reasons here
Is It God’s Will? here

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotation marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com