97. From Coincidence To God’s Favor

When we go through our lives, we bump into many obstacles and problems. Sometimes it is easy enough to handle on our own, but there are times we feel helpless and seek divine help. This is not true just for believers but also for non-believers as well. When we are desperate, we unconsciously look for God.

But when we get out of that trouble or get what we asked for, we are given two choices. One is calling it a ”coincidence”, and the other is calling it “God’s favor”.

After having two children, I began to understand better how our interpretation of events changes as we mature. I imagined this from an infant’s perspective: Let’s say you were a newborn and all you know how to do is cry. At that stage, you cry because you don’t even know how to express your desire. Then, without fully understanding what happened, you realize your needs are met. At this point, you are not even aware of the existence of your parents.

But as the time goes by, you begin to realize something: every time you cry, someone comes to you and give you what you want, whether it’s milk or a hug. However, you might still think it was just a “coincidence”. At this stage, you are not able to connect what you received with the person who gave it to you. When you grow a little bit more, now you begin to connect the “gift” with the “giver”. Then you begin to personally know the giver as your “parents”. Finally, as you mature, you realize that they provided for you not because you cried but because they are faithful and love you dearly. You realize that the help you received in times of need is not a “coincidence” but “their favor”.

It is same as our relationship with God. Before we came to know God, when good things happen we call them “luck” or “coincidence”. But as we mature, we begin to acknowledge the person behind these seemingly “lucky” happenings and call them “God’s favor”. This is faith that pleases God, just as it would greatly please parents when their child begins to acknowledge them as their provider and helper.

Some might argue, “what if it really was a coincidence?” If coincidence happens more than once or twice, I think it is more logical to believe that it was something divine (which you cannot fully explain) rather than a mere coincidence.