No Such Thing as True Randomness



No Such Thing as True Randomness

Sean Pitman M.D.

January, 2007

While the appearance of randomness may be all around us, there is no such thing as true randomness in the Christian perspective.   We are told that, "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28).  We are also told that God sees the "end from the beginning" (Isa. 46:10) and answers all prayers asked with a sincere and earnest heart in accordance with His will; that He gives in answer to prayer that which He would not otherwise give or be able to bless did we not ask ("Ask and you will receive. Knock and the door will be opened to you.").  Yet, in answering our prayers, He often re-interprets our requests according to what we ourselves would really want if we knew as He knows. "Would any father give his son a stone when asked for bread?"   Sometimes we think we ask for bread when, if our prayers were answered as asked, we would get a stone in the long run.  That is why it is best to close our requests to God as Jesus did, "Not as I will, but as You will . . .  Your will be done."

 

While we may not understand what appears to us to be chaos or why we must be subjected at times to severe trials, pain and suffering, there is enough evidence for us to see that God would only tolerate such realities in his universe if there were some very good reason.   We may not be able to understand what this reason my be here and now. However, we have the assurance that one day we will understand and that we would not have had it any other way.   "He never leads [us] otherwise than [we] would choose to be led if [we] could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose that [we] are fulfilling, as workers together with Him. . .   [We] are precious in His sight. He who looks with interest upon the little brown sparrow looks in love and pity upon His tried, afflicted child." (TDG 122.1-2)

 

The same thing is true of those who do not love God.  Events in their lives may have every appearance of being entirely the result of their own efforts to succeed or the result of completely unforeseeable random events and catastrophes.   Yet, they are not random.  God knows.  The only difference is that He cannot work out these events in their lives to end up for their ultimate good because of their own efforts to counter every effort God lays in their path to truly benefit them in the light of eternity. While this choice was foreknown, it was not predetermined nor is it a violation of freewill as some may argue.

 

"'Come unto me, all ye weary and heavy laden; give Me your load; trust Me to do the work that it is impossible for the human agent to do.' Let us trust Him. Worry is blind and cannot discern the future. But Jesus sees the end from the beginning, and in every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief.  Abiding in Christ, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us."  (AG 113.6)

 

Sean Pitman 

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