Guy Duininck: Cute Statement or Sound Doctrine ?
Cute Statement or Sound Doctrine ?
I heard this statement the other day from a well known minister:
“There are no coincidences, only God-incidents. Allow the Lord to direct your steps today and lead you to good success.”
The second part of this minister’s quote is good. It is, indeed, important that we ask and allow the Lord to direct our steps. He has unique places for each of us to go; He has unique works for each of us to do.
To say, however, that there are no coincidences in life, but that everything that happens is orchestrated by God is wrong. If believers suppose, as this minister said, that every incident that occurs in their daily life is a “God-incident” they will begin to look for significant meaning where there is none and may transform meaningless coincidental events into messages from God.
There ARE, in fact, many coincidences in life. Many things that transpire day by day have no hidden message from God imbedded in them and no spiritual significance attached to them. For example, just because a believer happens to be at the grocery store at the same time as another believer may just be a coincidence. That coincidence doesn’t mean God is telling those two believers that they are supposed to join the same church or marry each other if they both happen to be single. Or just because a believer accidentally dials the wrong phone number doesn’t mean God is leading them to pray for the person they accidentally dialed.
Believers should be finding direction for their lives from the Holy Spirit Who indwells them. They should be looking to their own bellies from where Jesus said the rivers flow. Paul said that those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God; in other words, the people of God are Spirit led people. When Paul needed to know where to go after he left Ephesus, he, “purposed in the Spirit.” He didn’t look for or pay attention to coincidences.
It is certainly important for Christians to be on the alert for God’s guidance in their lives. But if Christians think that every event that transpires in their daily life is a “God-incident,” goofy spiritual thinking will develop and bad decisions could easily be made.
