I like probability and statistics. One thing is that true randomness seldom appears random to a person, for several reasons. So just because the dice seem loaded doesn’t mean they are. For example, you could roll a die five times, and it might come up 1-2-3-4-5, in that order. The odds are against it by almost 8000:1, but it could happen, Or more likely you might roll a “full house” like 2-2-4-4-4, or 1-4-1-1-4. The odds against it are only 25 to 1 if I did my math right, but still it would make most people (who are experts at noticing patterns), “hey isn’t that interesting I got that.” Or what if you get all five the same? That happens on average every 1300 times.
Now if you ask someone to tell you pretend they’re rolling a die five times and to make up five “random” numbers and they tell you 3-3-4-3-3 or 5-4-3-2-1, you might say, “hey I said random numbers; those aren’t random.” Most “normal” people would not ever give such an obvious pattern if asked for random numbers, because most people don’t look at patterns and think random, but more like they are linked to each other.
So there are going to be times when your good deed will randomly be paired with several bad events. And they may all be independent, in that none of them happening influenced the chances of the other. All it takes is two or three events to seem like they are linked; and the more there are the more it seems like that. But also I believe if a person wonders
That all said, when things like this happen, I like to blame them on God and ask God, “is this your sense of humor again?” And I imagine God answering, “no gonna tell you.” And finally I look and see that whether it was random or not, it was a test for me to see if I would doubt God. Or maybe it was a tiny taste of a Dark Night of the Soul, and it was a deliberate plan from God. No way we’ll ever know for sure, so either way we can take it as training. We know that just because bad things happen doesn’t mean the next thing will be bad. And if it is, the thing after that. If it keeps going, they we feel empathy with Job.
“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” – Albert Einstein.
And if dark times get you down, you may want to listen to the hymn “Holy Darkness.” The lyrics are below.
Here is a YouTube of it.
HOLY DARKNESS
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night,
heaven’s answer hidden from our sight.
As we await you, O God of silence,
we embrace your holy night.
- I have tried you in fires of affliction;
I have taught your soul to grieve.
In the barren soil of your loneliness,
there I will plant my seed.
- I have taught you the price of compassion;
you have stood before the grave.
Though my love can seem
like a raging storm,
this is the love that saves.
- Were you there
when I raised up the mountains?
Can you guide the morning star?
Does the hawk take flight
when you give command?
Why do you doubt my pow’r?
- In your deepest hour of darkness
I will give you wealth untold.
When the silence stills your spirit,
will my riches fill your soul.
- As the watchman waits for morning,
and the bride awaits her groom,
so we wait to hear your footsteps
as we rest beneath your moon.
