Providence

I've realized I have a very poor understanding of Providence.  I suppose you'd say I have a low view of it, in that I don't believe certain things were meant to be.  And I certainly can't agree that the world is just as it should be.  And yet, isn't it in God's hand? 

Let's take tonight's game as a very simplistic example.  Someone pointed out to me that many Christians think if something good happens in their lives, it's Providence, and if something bad happens in their lives, it's due to the sinful world.  One might (wrongly) reason that if the Yankees win, obviously God is a Yankees fan.  But if the Red Sox win, then they are God's favorite.  Now we have to ask why whoever loses lost.  The Yankees will lose because they're being punished for their pride and should spend this post-season in sackcloth and ashes repenting.  The Red Sox will lose because God is sadist and loves to see Boston all excited, then dash their hopes.  Kidding!  We don't usually reason in terms of reward/punishment, but we do try and work out why things happened the way they did and discern God's will in the midst of it.

I guess I'm not too interested in doing that.  Now, I don't believe the universe is random, but I do believe there's room for contingency.  I want to avoid sliding in a discussion of theodicy, of why evil things happen, though I think that's related.  Right now I guess I'm really circling around using the word fate.  Is everything that happens mean to be, as part of God's cosmic plan.  Do Christians not believe in accidents?

I'm also troubled by using words like fate, or control, or will, as if we're talking about the god of deism.  I only know what control (or power, or love, etc.) is through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

I believe that God is at work in the world, and that we need to be prayerfully open to the way God moves in our lives, but if there is a Grand Plan or Script I certainly do not have access to it.  Rather than pondering if I'm following the Script, I think it's more important to be faithful witnesses to Christ in the midst of any situation. 

I'm not thinking very clearly about this, just throwing down some thoughts and questions, and I'm interested to hear yours.