By Michael E. Brooks

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

The taxi driver in Charity, Guyana was talking to the local preacher as we went to the airport to leave his city. "I am a fatalist," he said, "what will be will be." I could not resist entering their conversation, saying, "You don’t believe that." His reply was firm, "Oh, yes I do, whatever is going to happen will happen; there is no changing it." "In that case," I said, "take your hands off the steering wheel, close your eyes and keep driving. If you are going to have a wreck it will happen whether you watch or not; if you are not going to have a wreck it will not happen even if your eyes are closed." He thought a minute, gave a rueful smile, and kept driving, eyes open, hands on the wheel.

Fatalism is the conviction that we are helpless before the future – it will do as it wills. But more than that, it is the abdication of responsibility for the future. I can do nothing to influence it, therefore why bother trying? Live for the moment, do what I want; it will all work out according to the intended purpose. There is freedom in irresponsibility, and millions seize it gladly. Let the future take care of itself; we will live for the present.

But fatalism is obviously flawed. We do influence our futures, and that of others. A moment's carelessness causes a traffic accident. Without the careless behavior the accident would not happen. Science has repeatedly established cause–effect relationships and our experience proves them daily. The Bible affirms, "whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7). That this is true in physical matters is indisputable. Its application to the intangible (spiritual, moral, ethical) is a matter of logic to the thoughtful person and of faith to the one who accepts inspiration of Scripture.

However, the fatalist rightly insists no one can control his future. One may influence it, but he cannot dictate its outcome. And this becomes a dilemma to the person of faith who, like Job, seeks to assure success with right living but becomes a victim of someone else’s consequences. If my righteousness cannot guarantee me happiness why should I strive? The righteous does suffer. "[It rains] on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). Would I not be just as well off living the life of the unrighteous?

The answer lies in the basic goodness and love of God, and in his providential power. "All things work together for good…" This is not the simplistic statement that everything is good, that the righteous will never know sorrow or pain. It is rather the bold faith in God that trusts him to bring it to a loving conclusion in his own time. Through sickness, poverty, war, famine or any other circumstance of life, God is with us. His love and power assure us that "in whatever state [we] are, [we can] be content" (Philippians 4:11). Bad things may happen to us, but they are not the final conclusion. God is sovereign, and he "is not mocked" (Galatians 6:7). So we place our trust in God’s mercy and love, endure patiently "our light affliction, which is but for a moment" (2 Corinthians 4:17), and "make it our aim...to be well pleasing to him" (2 Corinthians 5:9).

"If God is for us, who can be against us? … neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:31, 38-39).