6.3. Divine Providence vs. Mind Related Surprise

Many people have gone through similar faith experiences: “Just believe in Him—why not believe?” Then, their family goes bankrupt, and someone calls it “God’s will.” We’ve all heard stories like: “I prayed so much and got the job,” or, “I cried and prayed, and suddenly a guy appeared and offered me a job.”

But consider how Jesus lived: He walked from place to place, picking figs off roadside trees, or asking others for food. His work and presence often inspired people to give. That kind of spontaneous access to generosity or provision—free food, open doors—is rare in our modern, civilized world. Yet many of us still expect something closer to manna falling from heaven when we ask God for help.

There are two important things to consider:

In the Gospel, Jesus expressed disappointment with the “children of light,” who weren’t as shrewd as a man who used his master’s money to pay off debts before getting fired. This suggests that the world is truly in human hands—to nurture or to destroy. Asking God for direct intervention is unlikely. One possible exception might be the story of Peter fleeing Rome and encountering Christ on the road—traditionally interpreted as a call for Peter to return and fulfill his mission in founding the Church. (If true, it remains a rare case of post-ascension intervention.)

There are strange but observable phenomena: for example, you could stare into your friend’s eyes, suddenly feel their emotions, understand what they’re thinking, and then something odd happens—like a long-lost connection suddenly reaching out, often preceived as miracle. This is common in inner healing prayer and could be speculated as stemming from entangled neural waveforms—memories recorded in the brain that influence others who share similar emotional or spatial patterns. It often happens without any spiritual fruit, unlikely to be God-given zeal or intervention.

As a side note, what’s often practiced today as the “word of knowledge” in Charismatic circles frequently mirrors what professional mentalists, illusionists, or psychological entertainers can replicate. The issue here is twofold:
a. Any event that can be replicated consistently should not be labeled as supernatural intervention (zeal, like eucharist is different).
b. These effects often require proximity or shared connections between people to produce meaningful insights.

Therefore, what’s often labeled as a charismatic “gift” may be better understood as a human mind-function exercise for Christian ministry, rather than a supernatural miracle or a true act of divine providence.