Guidelines for living. August 28th, 2026 Is There Such a Thing as Fate? And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 Is there such a thing as fate, or is fate simply the catch-all for what you can't explain? The Merriam-Webster New Collegiate Dictionary defines fate as "that which remains destined to happen." Our English word comes from the Latin fatum which means something ordained from the gods. It grew out of a story from Greek mythology which involves three goddesses. The first, Clotho, or the Spinner, was supposed to weave the thread of life while the second, Lachesis, or the Disposer of Lots, determined the length of the thread. It was the third in the trilogy, Atropos, or the Inflexible One, who allegedly cut the thread of life causing fate to strike its terrible blow. Today it's common for people to blame fate for all kinds of things over which we have no control, whether it is a bolt of lightning or a car accident that you couldn't help. Is there such a thing as fate or chance? If there is a sovereign God who directs in the affairs of mankind, fate isn't a viable option. The Bible, and in particular the writings of the New Testament, tells us that God intervenes in the affairs of humanity, that all history is moving towards a fixed point of reference when time is absorbed by eternity and life as we know it now will come to an end. But what about our personal affairs? How emphatic, how direct is God's intervention in what happens day-in and day-out? First, the New Testament says it is not Atropos or fate who cuts the thread of your life. Hebrews 9:27 says, "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment." Paul addressed the issue of fate for God's child when he wrote to the Ephesians saying that God "works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will," (Ephesians 1:11). The book of Romans says very clearly there is no fate for the child of God who walks according to his Father's will. Remember those comforting words: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Sounds good, right? But does it really translate when things go bad? Is God likewise responsible for wrong things as well as good? When something happens which doesn't quite fit into the scheme of things as I think it should, I ask three questions: Question #1: "Is Satan opposing me?" And there are times when clearly he hinders the work of God. Now, if Satan hindered Paul from coming to the Thessalonians when he wanted to do so, why shouldn't he be able to hinder us today? Question #2: "Has God allowed this difficulty as discipline in my life to bring me back into his will?" Make a note of Proverbs 3 and Hebrews 12, which both tell us it is because God loves us, He disciplines us just as a father does his own children. Question #3: "Is this simply a combination of circumstances for which there isn't any particular deep spiritual significance - say, a flat tire or an appliance that has worn out?" Naturally, these irritations try us, but I can't really see the intervention of either God or the devil in some things, though God can use everything to shape us and to bring our lives into conformity with His plan. Friend, how did you answer that question, "Is there such a thing as fate, or luck, or chance?" For God's children, the will of the Father rules all of that out. And that is a fact, because we have a Heavenly Father who guides in the affairs of His children. Resource Reading: Romans 8:19-39