Hidden Reason For Difficult Events Of Life

Everything happens for a reason. The reason may be obscure. Yet there is a purpose for everything in divine providence. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Gen 37: 12-36). After so many years, Joseph confronted his treacherous brothers in Egypt. He broke down in tears before his brothers-tears of affection and tenderness for his greatest enemies (Gen 45).

The reaction of Joseph to his brothers was rather curious. We would expect Joseph to be very angry; to fret and fume, to rage and form. Joseph could have debased, dehumanized and demoralized his brothers. However he chose the path of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Throughout the difficult years of his incarceration and slavery, Joseph was edified and fortified by the belief that everything happens for a reason. He believed that every event unfolds according to the plan of God and for a purpose. He saw the hand of God guiding the events of his life. As if God was personally supervising his history.

In the darkest and dreariest moments of his life, when he was at his nadir, he believed that God can make all things work together for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28). This is the reason Joseph was generous to forgive his brothers. He realized that “hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”  In the bogs of doubt, quicksand of fear and winds of anxiety he held on to this truth. Later he saw the big picture- how God used his personal tragedy to save his people.

Joseph did not come to the conclusion that everything happens for a reason in a flash. He spent so many years trying to make sense of his pitiable condition. He must have stayed awake many nights trying to understand the unusual path of his life. This belief is a fruit of years of reflection and soul-searching. It is an inverse insight gained from so many trials and pains. It is the grain of wisdom that helped him to become one of the most outstanding figures in Jewish history.

The conviction that everything happens for a purpose is not a justification for evil in the world. This conviction is not a chimera. It is not a theodicy. It is not an expression of fatalism or determinism. This conviction may not solve all our problems. It may even sound unreasonable or meaningless in the face of tragedies of life. Yet it is a profound Christian truth that helps us to put all our (negative) experiences in the proper perspective. It helps us to see the big picture. It can save us from bitterness, cynicism, pessimism and self pity. This belief can furnish us with fresh hope and the strength to carry on in the face of absurdities of life.

Everything happens for a purpose. This truth is far more profound than facile serendipity. Even the most unfortunate event in life can actualize the plan of God, help us to develop our potentials, and provide an opportunity for tremendous growth. God is not the cause of evil in the world. He takes no pleasure in human suffering and miseries. But God can bring good out of evil.

God’s providence ensures that every event ultimately fulfils God’s plans. God’s ways are mysterious and inscrutable. His ways are not our ways and his thoughts not our thoughts (Is 55:8-9). “Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.”