Exploring the Fine Line Between Coincidence and Miracle

What Is the Difference Between Coincidence and Miracle?

There can be times in our lives where we experience miracles. Other times we experience events that make us believe in coincidences rather than those events as having a deeper meaning. What exactly is the difference between a coincidence and a miracle? Sometimes, it can seem like an event in life was both a miracle and a coincidence, and sometimes, it is one over the other. 

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a “miracle” is defined as: “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” It can be something that happens that you know can’t be anything but God working. 

“Coincidence” is defined as “the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 

It can be hard to differentiate what is happening in our lives and whether it is a miracle or a coincidence. A miracle is considered something, such as being diagnosed with an illness without hope of recovery, and then the next day, you are doing a lot better despite the doctors’ reports. 

A coincidence is considered when two people have the same birthday and they have never met because it isn’t necessarily rare that two people share the same birthday. 

Sometimes determining that something is a miracle can be obvious because it goes beyond the laws of nature and anything that a human could do. Only God has the power to make it happen. It can also be easy to determine that it’s a coincidence when there is a probability that something will happen. 

However, it also depends on the perspective of the person experiencing a miracle or a coincidence. 

Those who are unbelievers or individuals that don’t necessarily believe in miracles may think that “miracles” are just the universe making them lucky, or that they did something and the miracle occurred, or they may just think that it is a coincidence. They will try to explain the miracle by science, but they will fall short on their scientific explanation.

For those who are Christian and believers, it may be easier to believe in miracles because as believers we believe that God is always working things out for us and protecting us. He promotes us to see things that we may not even recognize at the moment. 

As believers, it is easy to believe that miracles are possible especially because there is evidence of miracles in the Bible. 

In John 2, Jesus performs his first miracle; turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana in Galilee. 

Today, it is impossible to turn water into wine in a short amount of time like Jesus did, and is considered nothing but a miracle. 

A miracle is an event that has no scientific explanation or possibility of it ever occurring while a coincidence is an event where there was a possibility of it occurring. 

Praying for Peace

Is Your World Filled With Anxiety?

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"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) 

The above verse in Paul's writing sheds light on a spiritual message of comfort and encouragement. This passage provides optimism and instruction and emerges from a letter written by Paul while he was under Roman house arrest. Despite his chains, Paul's letters carry joy and thankfulness, reflecting the genuine power of faith in Christ Jesus. His words to the Philippians are no exception; they serve as a lighthouse, illuminating a path through the storms of life and leading us to a calm harbor. 

"Do not be anxious about anything," Paul begins, addressing a universal human condition: anxiety. It is as if he speaks across the ages, understanding the untold worries that stress our health, provision, and relationships and cloud our view of the future. Nevertheless, in the face of these, Paul offers a divine cure: prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. It is a call to leave behind our natural inclination toward worry by leaning into a spiritual discipline that reorients our focus from our troubles to the providence and faithfulness of God.

This call to pray is not a call to passive resignation but to active engagement with the Lord. We find a path through our anxieties by laying out our requests before God with a heart full of gratitude for His past faithfulness. Remember the words of the old hymn? "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!"

This attitude toward prayer is crucial. You must understand that prayer moves the heart of God and, when performed correctly, will build your faith. Your faith will grow because of the time you spend with the Lord. You will become more aware of His heart and will for your life. I urge you to pray and stop looking for prophecies. Prayer acknowledges God's sovereignty and goodness. When we pray, The Holy Spirit can remind us of the many ways our Father has helped us.

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr., Pastor

*Excerpt from "The Power of Prayer: Praying for Results" by Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr.

Misplaced Faith: Career

Where Have You Placed Your Faith?

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Achieving success in a fulfilling career is a noble goal. Christians, like others, want to make a valuable contribution to the world in their area of expertise. Often, it takes years of education, entry-level learn­ing, and earned job promotions to reach the pinnacle of your vocation. 

On average, employees in their twenties are com­pleting college or professional training. They begin working in their career at an entry-level position and will gradually move up the ladder of success to higher ­level positions and salaries. Leadership roles are the next step for some when they reach their prime per­formance level in a specific vocation. Finally, training others or stepping down to retire or phase out of their high-level role is the last career move, although some are keeping their positions beyond retirement for years to come. Typically, a person spends between the ages of twenty and sixty-five building and sustaining a ca­reer. Due to several reasons, they may have to step back temporarily, such as when a company closes its doors, or the employee experiences a debilitating accident or illness. In total, forty-five to fifty years of a person's life are spent in establishing and maintaining a career that will be, for many, their primary income source. 

Contributing to society's well-being through gain­ful employment is a hallmark of personal responsi­bility and community support. However, putting too much faith in a career can lead to a severe down-fall during an economic downturn, for example, if an employee's health falters or fails. During the early twentieth-century Depression in the US, many fami­lies struggled to make it economically. Wealthy ty­coons committed suicide when the banks failed. 

Today, we frequently see news reports that most lottery winners who suddenly receive millions of dol­lars lose it quickly, often within a year. Some don't know how to manage funds efficiently, which leads to unplanned spending and a lack of investments for the future. Others might be taken advantage of by unscrupulous relatives or new "friends." "Easy come, easy go" or "a fool and his money are soon parted" are common expressions applied to people who cannot hang on to a windfall. 

Internet "influencers" sometimes become near­ instant successes on their digital channels and social media. But a surprising number of these individuals, many still teenagers or young adults, are killing them­selves despite their hard-won and newfound success. Why? Because success was thrust at them without their having the means to manage it. Some are over­whelmed by the competition and feel their once-rising star is dimming. Others aren't sure where to go next in the quest for success or how to keep building their subscriber bases. Success often feels like a colossal dis­appointment, leaving some to ask, "Is that all there is?" For many, an empty void replaces the early euphoria experienced as they reached the pinnacle of success. 

Indeed, we can't take our material possessions with us when we die, and they wouldn't do us any good in the afterlife anyway. Placing faith in the Lord instead of ourselves, our money, or our career guarantees success. In the eyes of the culture, we may not seem successful, but when we learn to walk by faith in God, we will have peace with God and there is no greater success than having peace with God. Nothing can replace the contentment of living by faith and walking in peace with the Lord. 

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr., Pastor

*Excerpt from "Living By Faith" by Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr.