Everything Does Not Happen For A Reason

Ladies and Gentlemen, something beautiful happened to me at our last gig that I thought I'd share. During the gig I preached the following mini sermon... 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know that many of us have been through hard times, we have suffered loss and tragedy and sometimes at that moment a well meaning person puts their hand on your shoulder and says "everything happens for a reason". Tonight ladies and gentlemen I have good news! Tonight I am going to call bullshit on "everything happens for a reason". Everything does not happen for a reason, no shit just happens. And this my friends is good news. It's good news because God does not have any secret plans for your life that you don't know anything about and God isn't causing loss and tragedy in your life in order to guide you in some direction. No, shit just happens and it's awful. But when shit happens we know there is something wrong with the world and that the world needs to change and collectively we might join with God in making the world a different place. 

After the gig I caught up with an old friend. We talked life including some not so great stuff. She was about to say "I'm sure everything happens for a reason" when she stopped herself, chuckled and said "well I can't say everything happens for a reason". She paused and said "I'm really sorry that happened". It was beautiful. I felt heard and empathised with.