Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

  • Home
  • About
  • Favorites
  • Policies
  • Contact

Does Everything REALLY Happen for a Reason?

July 27, 2018 by Lauren 30 Comments

Click here for Amazon ordering and information.

 

I saw a recommendation for this book and couldn’t resist.  It’s the story of a young wife, mom and college professor who stares down the barrel of a Stage IV cancer diagnosis.  Doesn’t it sound like something you would immediately be drawn to?  Although not a light and breezy summer beach read, I’m so thankful I found it.  The author records beautifully the wonderful moments, painful experiences and seeming injustices of life as she fights for hers.  Kate Bowler writes with honesty, wit and the bluntness I assume only one dying obtains as she questions doctors, God and well-intentioned friends and relatives.

While a student at Yale Divinity School, Bowler wrote her doctoral dissertation entitled Blessed:  A History of the American Prosperity Gospel.  THIS is what propels her current book from poignant memoir to fascinating study of human emotions and reasoning.  The infamous prosperity gospel promises health, wealth and happiness to those who pray enough, have faith enough and sin little.  Churches all over the country preach this message and Kate sat in many and interviewed preachers and parishioners of many others for her first book.  But just a few years after, she can’t reconcile these teachings to herself and her young family as they battle her incurable illness.  In her infirmary, she receives letters from all over the country written by people of varying theologies.  Some preaching that she is somehow spiritually lacking because she is suffering.  Others weathering storms of their own who’ve been further crushed under the weight of well-meaning folks insisting that gut-wrenchingly painful situations could simply disappear if he/she was somehow a better Christian.

 

Bowler’s title question begged me to respond, if for no other reason than the personal confirmation of my own faith.  Does everything really happen for a reason?  I can tell you that you won’t find that phrase in the Bible.  On the surface, I think this belief can make us feel better.  If you don’t spend too much time exploring it, this philosophy might help “make sense” of some seemingly senseless things.  But some things really are beyond all reason.  Cancer in children.  Sex-trafficking of innocents.  9/11.  There is no “reason” that makes sense of these unless that “reason” is simply that we live in a sinful and fallen world.  So there is no comfort in it if the reason isn’t good.

 

So where is our comfort when the pain defies logic?  Romans 8:28.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  NASB  We may not always know why something happened, but the Bible tells us that God can, and will make good things happen from it.  Through the lens of pain and our limited human vision, it may take a while to see the good, but good WILL come.  It’s a promise.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
Read More

Subscribe for Updates

Enter your information below to receive the latest updates from the blog!

Recent Posts

  • Verse Mapping Joy!
  • Grace Upon Grace
  • First Friday Prayers: Prayer for the Caregiver
  • The Grand Finale of February
  • Scriptures on Joy: Word of the Year

Find Devotionals By Me in These Books and Click on Image for Order Information!

A 25-Week Bible Study with Topics from Abide to Zeal
A 26 week journey to a better prayer life.
30 devotionals for faith that moves mountains

For Sharing

Lauren Sparks

Like Podcasts? I’m on This One

…and This One! click to listen.

Click below to get a free trial of my favorite technology monitoring platform

Need More Than Just Monitoring? Find Filters and Accountability Here

Search This Site

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Lauren Sparks | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM

Stop!  Don't Miss Out!

I have a brand new e-book.  This was Not On My Bingo Card:  Essays on Cancer and Related Surprises is available to you FREE by simply subscribing to my blog!  

Invalid email address
I promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!