Everything for a reason
You’ve all heard the expression. In fact, you may have said it with your own lips! The words passed over your vocal cords as if crowned with wisdom and fell out of your mouth unapologetically. What are those words? “Everything happens for a reason.” AAAHHHH! Just putting that expression in print makes me want to backspace and erase it from existence. In this instance, the word “reason” is used as a synonym for “purpose.” I’m cringing. Few statements could be further from the truth. Well-meaning individuals say this frequently and with a good heart…but it’s still a whoha statement. (forgive the use of the deep theological word “whoha”)
Think about it. If that statement were true, then sin has a purpose: speaking despicably of God has a purpose; murder has a purpose; adultery has a purpose; all aberrations of humanity have purpose. NO!!! They don’t! The statement is a distortion of the truth of Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The truth is God can take whatever occurs in life and transform it. That’s what He does. The purpose of the action may have been malicious, intended for harm or destruction. But God, by His grace and power, can sanctify it…that is, set it apart as something to be used for His glory.
Have you ever seen an artist take a few scribbled lines and figures and transform them into a beautiful piece of art? Christ can take whatever brokenness we have, whatever abhorrent circumstance we encounter and transform it into a picture of His grace and goodness. Seems impossible at times…but He does it. The initial act may not have been done with a God ordained purpose; but the final outcome can reflect His glory when we surrender it and ourselves to Him. There are “reasons” things happen, different from purpose, and often those reasons are misguided and wrong. Everything doesn’t happen for a reason (purpose)…but it can have purpose and meaning when given to God.
You see, Satan is the great deceiver. He prompts us to believe subtle twists of the truth with a desire to lead us away from responding to Christ as we should. Don’t fall prey to his lies. The next time you’re tempted to utter such an expression as mentioned above…slam the brakes on your tongue! Go to the part of your brain marked, “Think it through,” and flip the switch to “on.” We all need to continually ask the Lord for wisdom as we seek to navigate the twists and turns of life…and He will give it.
“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.” Proverbs 14:8
