Moving Beyond Reasons

October 23, 2011

Dear Friends,

In response to extremely challenging situations, one of the things you commonly hear people say is this: “Everything happens for a reason.” Well, I agree . . . in part.

I say “in part,” because when people say, “Everything happens for a reason,” they are usually referring to a “divine reason.” They are indicating that everything that happens—including every circumstance that seems unwanted—has been divinely orchestrated for our benefit . . . even though that benefit cannot be readily seen at the moment. But is every challenge we encounter in life actually there by divine design? Every single one?

Some challenges, no doubt, are divinely directed. As I mentioned in my last message, when your inner Divine Spirit purposely guides you into a challenging situation so you can heal or grow in some way, yes, that situation is certainly part of the divine flow for you. There are also situations that you may perceive to be unwanted challenges, but they transform on their own into something beneficial so quickly, you can easily see how those situations were little more than misunderstood “bends in the stream.”

But again, I ask, is there a divine reason for every single challenge you experience in your life?

What about the consequences you suffer when you continually ignore or overrule divine guidance—when you make misguided choices influenced by your ego, or make unguided choices because you are not paying attention to the divine signs. In that case, there is certainly a reason for what is happening. But is it a divine reason? I don’t think so.

What about the consequences you suffer when other people make misguided choices that ultimately affect your life. What happens is certainly happening for a reason. But again, is that reason of divine origin? Not the way I see it.

And what about natural disasters, such as a tornado that ravages one half of a town, but leaves the other half untouched? Or a light fixture that suddenly falls from the ceiling and injures the one person who happens to be standing underneath it? Personally, I believe that natural disasters are just that—natural, and not divinely governed. And freak accidents? Odd, but not orchestrated by God.

Friends, in a world where troublesome things often seem to happen randomly, trying to make sense out of it all is completely understandable. And to draw the conclusion that everything happens for a divine reason is also completely understandable. But the point I am building up to is this: Searching for reasons—divine or otherwise—is not always constructive . . . especially if turns into blaming others or shaming yourself for what has occurred.

If you can easily see the reason why something has happened, and you—or others—can learn a valuable lesson from that, terrific! But it is often difficult—if not impossible—to know with complete certainty why things happen the way they do. “Why?” is rarely the most important question you need to be asking. The most important questions you need to be asking are “How?” and “What?” How can I heal, grow, or benefit from this experience? And what is my next right step to help bring that good about?

Remember that no matter what has happened or why it has happened, there can always be a divine flow from that point on . . . a flow that directs you and supports you in a return to an overall experience of well-being, or even enhances your life in some way. Your job, as always, is remaining open and receptive enough to hear that still, small voice that is continually telling you the best way to help yourself, and to help all involved.

May you be positive enough to see the potential for good in everything that happens. May you be present enough to participate in the unfolding of that good. And may you be patient enough to allow that good to manifest in its own right time.

Steven

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© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC