A Reason For Everything

I often hear and I firmly believe, "There is a reason for everything."  Usually when something bad or just unwanted happens is when I hear this refrain.  It could be the loss of a job, a diagnosis of poor health, the breakup of a relationship, whatever.  And, many times, the individual will add, "When the Lord closes a door, he opens a window."  Cute and undoubtedly true at times, but "it ain't necessary so."

God is not behind everything we do: The Lord revealed through Jeremiah regarding the sarificing of the children of the people of Judah's children in fire, "I did not command, nor did it enter my mind" (7:31).  In reference to someone else bringing harm to God's people, he once revealed through Isaiah, "If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing" (54:15).  While God is soverign and supreme, he does not choose or cause everything that happens.

Sometimes the reason a relationship breaks up is simply because one or both is as hard-headed as a mule or onery as a jackass.  Sometimes a person loses a job because they made poor choices or simply don't measure up.  Sometimes we get sick because we do things that compromise our health.  A while back, a man asked me why God gave him lung cancer.  Knowing this man well enough to be completely candid, I said, "Do you suppose it might have less to do with God and more to do with the fact that you smoked for the last 40 years?"

Everything does have a reason.  But sometimes the reason is that we do stupid things.  As the great theologian, John Wayne, once said, "Life is hard.  It's harder when you're stupid."  Stupid, by the way, isn't necessarily chronic.  It can be episodic.  In other words, even an otherwise very bright person can make some very stupid mistakes and choices.  I am highly educated and regard myself as fairly intelligent, but not above stupid at times.

God does have a plan and his purpose is for us to be voluntarily involved in his work but he gives us a choice as Johua exhorted Israel, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..." (24:15).  He also can "make all things work for the good of those that love the Lord" (Rom 8:28), but that is not to say that he works everything into being, our circumstances and choices also come into play.

God has an overall purpose.  There are specific facets of his plan surrounding your existence to which you are called.  So far as you accept God and his purpose, he will "work in you to will and act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Phil 2:13).  However, if one resists God, in time he will give "them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done" (Rom 1:28).

There is a reason for everything.  Make sure your reasons for choosing and doing are based on trust and obedience to God.  Then he will work out good in your life - now and for eternity.  Jus' Say'n.