Not everything happens for a reason

By Kristy Solis

As children grow, their human experiences grow as well. My oldest daughter is starting to question the whys of these human experiences in the world. Why was she not nice? Why did he get sick?  Why did she die?

As a parent, sometimes, I simply do not have an answer and cannot even imagine a reason for what just happened. Some will try to make sense of what happened and even say “everything happens for a reason.”

Yet, one of the greatest lessons I have learned in life is bad things happen in life for no reason other than human beings experiencing human experiences.

It is a difficult lesson for children and adults as well, but pain, disease and loss are inevitable parts of life. None of us are immune – innate suffering is what connects us as humans.

The Bible guides us that this is God’s will. God’s will is not the path, but rather how we walk the path. God’s will is not what happens to us, but how we respond.

When that individual is not being nice, gets sick or even dies – unless it is intentional – not everything happens for a reason.  Yet, with everything that occurs, there can be a reason to bring hope to others.

We need to remind our children that they were formed in the image of God; therefore, they are innately good and the hope of our future.

God can use our human experiences for a greater good. When we know God, we know God is good, 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” (Roman 8:28).