A Sense of Inevitability
Recently, I heard an interview with a man who had written about the period of time during which thirteen English colonies in North America fought for the right to be free from the domination of England. During that interview, the historian used a phrase and introduced (at least to me) a concept I had never really considered. He said that we read the history of that time with “a sense of inevitability.”
The historian went on to explain what he meant by that phrase. From our vantage point, we have the luxury of looking back on those events. We now know that those thirteen colonies did, indeed, win that war and that they ultimately became The United States of America. It is the historian’s view that, because we know how things “turned out,” we may be lulled into thinking that it was inevitable that the events would transpire as they did.
The historian was very quick to point out that the people who lived through those times had no real idea about whether or not their efforts would end in success or failure. In fact, he pointed out that the leaders of that effort could, and probably would, be executed for treason if Great Britain had won that war. What is a settled historical fact to us was both unsettled and unknown to them.
As I thought about that interview, I started thinking that the historian’s view of those events was correct about how we view most, if not all, of human history. Since we know how past events transpired, we may tend to view all of them as inevitable. We may also forget that the people who were, at the time, living through those events did not at all have that perspective.
All of that, in turn, caused me to start thinking about the present. Are we to live our lives in a constant state of confusion? Is there any guidance about the decisions we are called upon to make? Are there any guarantees about the outcomes of those decisions?
I suppose that the answers to those questions depend upon whether or not we are looking at the overall “big picture.” There may not be any guarantees about interpersonal relationships, business decisions, or a host of other things. The fact that I treat you right may or may not mean that you will reciprocate. I could pour a lot of personal and financial capital into a business, but that does not necessarily mean that it will succeed. I could go on with examples like this, but I think you get the idea.
With all of that said (and suggested), I would like to suggest something else to consider. It seems to me that there is one sense in which we can approach whatever is going on in our lives with a sense of inevitability. As I read the sixth chapter of Ephesians, I am reminded that Christians are involved in a battle “…against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).
I would like to suggest that, while we might not fully understand all that we might like to know about that battle or our individual roles in that battle, we are not in the same position as those who fought wars in the past. As mentioned earlier, participants in past wars could not know while they were fighting whether or not their efforts would end in victory or defeat.
In contrast to them, we can, in fact, know the “outcome” of our efforts. We can, in fact, approach life with a sense of inevitability. Consider the following promise
…To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God (Rev. 2:7).
There are other passages which I believe would help to support the idea that a faithful child of God can have a sense of inevitability regardless of the contemporary circumstances in his or her life. In fact, that sense of inevitability can enable a Christian to face trials and hardships with confidence. The reason I chose that one passage has to do with an experience I had a number of years ago.
The experience happened when I was at a large gathering of young people. As I was walking down a busy and crowded hallway, I saw a teenager sitting alone reading his Bible. I don’t even know the name of the young man, but the exchange that took place between us has stayed with me for years.
I said something to him about the fact that he was reading a really good book. When he agreed, I sort of jokingly asked, “How does it end?”
As long as I have a memory, I don’t think I’ll ever forget his immediate, confident, and enthusiastic answer:
“We win!”
I think that young man “got it;” don’t you?
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
