Everything Happens For A Reason And Is God’s Will?

Not everything that happens is God’s plan. Most of what happens is because of the choices we make.

There may be some of you who disagree, but I find it an unfortunate choice of words when the saved as well as the unsaved try to console themselves when something disastrous happens in their lives by saying, “Everything happens for a reason.”  In your heart of hearts, do you really believe this?
People think everything that happens in their life, down to the minutest details, is all in God’s will.  I have mentioned this before, but I agree with a statement made by Bill Cosby when he was asked how others have tried to console him concerning the death of his son.  He said, “Some have come to me and said it was God’s will.  My answer to them is that I choose not to consider God carrying out his will with a bullet to my son’s head.”

Seriously think about it.  If someone were to shoot your child or grandchild, or some other loved one, could you honestly say it was “God’s will” and that “everything happens for a reason?”  And please tell me, what kind of reason would God have? Just about everyone knows there is a reason, but no one can tell what that reason is! It’s always a mystery. In the mean time there are many who go through years of struggle and guilt.  Struggle because they just can’t comprehend why God would allow such and thing to happen in their life, and guilt because over a period time they have become angry with God. This has affected many people so extremely that they have walked away from God angry and confused.

The meaning behind everything happens for a reason, is that God intends for everything to happen that happens.

To be consistent, if everything happens for a reason, let’s take things that are not so tragic.  What about a football game?  We know one team is going to win and the other will lose.  In every game, no matter what kind of sport it is, no matter who wins or what team loses, all was in God’s plan?  It was his will?  Both sides could easily claim, everything happens for a reason?  What was the reason?  How long will it take to get an answer? If God intends for everything to happen that happens, then why do we see the God of the Bible intervening in people’s lives if all was planned out? What would be the purpose for the times he has changed his mind?   Not only that, how does God get into this box?  Furthermore, if God intends for everything to happen that happens, then there is no escaping the fact that this is accusing God of being behind all the evil that takes place in this world.

What we have been taught to believe is Reformed Theology and not Bible truth.  I will give you a few quotes from Reformed Theology:

“God is seen as the great and mighty King who has appointed the course of nature and who directs the course of history even down to its minutest details.”

“He also perfectly controls all the depraved and impious affections of the wicked, and turns them as He pleases.”

“When we get the larger view we see that even the sinful acts of men have their place in the divine plan.”

So when you say, “Everything happens for a reason,” or “It’s God’s will,” you are only repeating Reformed Theology and not Bible truth.

You see, there is one element left out.  Now we know God created systems that governs the laws of nature and can intervene at any time (ex. Ex. 14:21-22; Joshua 10:13; Haggai 1:11).  When it comes to human beings, God gave us a free will.  We can choose good or evil.  God does not decide that for us.  But those who hold to Reformed Theology, you are holding to a god that is satanic.

Everything happens for a reason?  Then we should not complain when someone does something vicious to us.  We should not be upset when we see cruel and vile crimes committed such as abortions, rape of children, murderers murdering people, women forced at gunpoint and repeatedly and brutally raped and then shot in the back of the head and other such vile crimes, because according to Reformed Theology,  the criminals had no choice! Why? Because the god of Reformed Theology “controls all the depraved and impious affections of the wicked, and turns them as He pleases.” Women should not be upset if they have miscarriages; parents should not be upset when their children reject them and go onto vile living; we should not be upset when a spouse cheats on his partner and so on, because according to Reformed Theology,”Everything happens for a reason,” and all is in “God’s will.”

Are you beginning to see the implications of this repeated rhetoric?  God does not choose evil to befall you, that is man’s choice.

God is not capable of perpetrating evil.  God did not create evil. I know some will immediately point out Isa. 45:7 in the KJB, but look and compare context carefully because it has nothing to do with “moral” evil or sin. but with “calamity” or “disaster” that he can use upon people for righteous judgment.   However, God is not the author of evil.

There is good news! Though people will make wrong or evil choices that affect our lives, we are told,

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28

This tells me that God can use circumstances for our own good if we allow him.  God can heal physical, emotional, and relational wounds.  A classic example of this is seen in the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers.(Gen. 37) At the end of that story, God brought healing and reconciliation and much more.  What the brothers conceived and imagined to harm Joseph, God conceived and imagined a different plan for good in Joseph’s life.  The brothers had one plan, and God used another. God was able to use the circumstances Joseph was in, not that God planned for the brothers to do what they did. Joseph’s response was not, “Everything happens for a reason,” and then wait for months and possibly years to get the answer for the reason, but what he did see was that God was powerful and loving enough to use his circumstance to bring about good. (Gen. 50:20)

The next time life gives us some hard knocks, when relationships go sour, when tragedy strikes, or any of life’s burdens we must endure, through no fault of our own, let us remember and learn the lesson from Joseph’s life – that God is powerful and loving enough to use our circumstances to bring about good.