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When People who do not believe in coincidences see something highly improbable happen, they often exclaim, “It must be God’s will!”

The God of Christians refers to the Trinitarian Creator, while the “god” of other people might be fate, a Bodhisattva (Dao religion), or an invisible force. Interestingly, even though Christians and non-Christians disagree on who God is, when low-probability events occur, some Christians and non-Christians unanimously claim “It must be God’s will”, such as Calvinists among Christians. They show extreme favor to label events with “God’s will”, attributing not only improbable events but also everyday occurrences to God’s will. They say falling in love is God’s will, pursuing a degree is God’s will, finding a job is God’s will, and even switching jobs is seen as God’s will.

Christians who casually claim “God’s will” should pay attention to the Book of Job. The Book of Job warns us from hastily attributing events to God when we are not certain if it is God’s doing. Job and his three friends did precisely that. They attributed to God something that He didn’t do. Rather than earning His favor, they provoked His wrath.

“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” — Job 38:1-2

Blaming someone for what they didn’t do is called slander, and we know slander is wrong because the Bible says, “Thou shall not bear false witness” (Exo 20:16). Similarly, crediting someone with good deeds they didn’t do causes awkwardness and shows ignorance on the surface, but on a deeper level, it is bearing false witness. Imagine someone delivering a banner with your name on it, praising you for saving a life, and even calling a TV crew to document you, but you know the real hero is your neighbor. You’d face two choices: either awkwardly point out that they made a false witness and praised a wrong person, or bear false witness on your side too, which is to accept the undeserved praise and perpetuate the lie.

“Let God be true, but every man a liar.” — Romans 3:4

God is true and all-knowing, who is opposed to lies and ignorance. God does teach us to be thankful through the Bible (1 Thess 5:18), but He does not teach us to give thanks ignorantly. If Christians think all the good and bad circumstances in their life are God’s doing, and we just need to be thankful for both. What if the circumstances are not from God? Doesn’t our ignorance place us in opposition to God?

Therefore, claim “God’s will” cautiously and with supporting evidence. Thankfully, God made it easy for us to know the evidence. He doesn’t prefer doing good deeds anonymously. He eagerly makes His deeds known.

For instance, God tells us that He created the heavens, the earth, and men with the book of Genesis; He informed Noah ahead of His plan to flood the earth; He foretold Sarah that she would bear a child despite her barrenness. And in the book of Exodus, He instructed Israel to mark their doors with blood to escape the plague of the firstborn. In Samuel, He promised that Christ would come from David’s lineage. In Isaiah, He prophesied a virgin birth, and in Matthew, He reassured Joseph that virgin Mary’s pregnancy is through the Holy Spirit. When God revealed Him in the flesh, He openly acknowledged himself as being the Christ (Mark 14:61-62) and foretold His death and resurrection on the third day (Mark 9:32). In Acts, He taught Peter in a vision that God can purify what is unclean, then let Peter to witness uncleaned Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the Book of Revelation is God’s admission that he has more purposes for the people of Israel.

In these examples, we can see God’s approach is to foretell his plan. He proclaims “at sundry times and in diverse manners”(Heb 1:1) what He has purposed so that when the events unfold, people recognize it as God’s will. Conversely, Christians who are quick to declare “God’s will” often declare it only after events have occurred. Assigning God the role of a “Monday morning quarterback” does a disservice to His omniscience and omnipotence.

Trying to identify God’s will is biblical, but Christians attributing coincidences and personal choices to God’s will creates confusion. Why do Christians confuse God’s will?

First, because some Christians have diminished the authority of the Bible. If the Bible had never recorded God’s will, Christians today would not know God’s will. God reveals His purpose and actions through the Scriptures, and if Christians do not read the Scriptures, they surely will not know what the true will of God is. If Christians regard a pastor, a seminary, or personal experiences and feelings as more authoritative than the Bible, they will seek the will of God outside of the Scriptures.

Second, it is because some Christians fail to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). If Christians read the Bible but do not discern when, in what context, and to whom God speaks, they may wrongly apply the will of God given to individuals like Sarah, Noah, David, or Peter to themselves.

So next time, when you hear “it must be God’s will”, think twice and check with your Bible.