Mark's observation was that when we view God's providence through the lens of power we are forced to discern "God's plan" in all things. Some have called this micromanaging view of the cosmos God's "omnicontrol." Nothing acts in the world, no drop of rain or falling leaf, without being the will of God and a player in God's overall plan.
God's power, sovereignty, and providence in the world is a snarly theological problem. And this post is not place to wade into those waters. All I want to do is draw attention to Mark's point that if you're spiritually formed to discern "God's plan" in seemingly random life events you're predisposing yourself to conspiratorial modes of thought. Because the heart of paranoid thinking is seeing meaningful connections between events where none exist. Some events are just random. That, or the explanations and causes illusive or forever outside of our ability to grasp.
More, there's an emotional aspect here as well. We're comforted by causal explanations. Randomness spooks the brain and makes us anxious. We hunger for a orderly, predictable world. So making connections between events soothes and puts us at ease. So, there is solace to be found in facing a trauma or failure knowing that somehow, someway, this is a part of God's plan.
But here is the critical issue. There is a vast epistemological and emotional difference between knowing that a plan exists and knowing exactly what that plan is in a given circumstance. This is a fine line, but people do cross it. Something happens and people step up to explain exactly what God is doing in this circumstance. What is mysterious and hidden to us is clear and explicit to these people.
All that to say, this isn't a broadside against Reformed theology, with its high view of God's providence and sovereignty. I am, though, expressing a worry about crude, simplistic versions of Reformed theology, especially when it's combined with overly confident prophets among charismatic believers, those who declare insight into God's plans. We saw a lot of failed prophecy on election day and during the inauguration when conspiracy-fueled Christians predicted a Donald Trump victory and mass arrests of Democrat leaders as all "God's plan."
In the midst of our pain and confusion many of us take comfort in knowing God has a plan. Nothing is wrong with believing that God is a work. Mysteriously at work, but still, at work. God is sovereign and still in control. God has a plan for us, to do and be good to us. What tips us toward conspiratorial thinking is when we think we can see that plan clearly and make a habit of having too much confidence in that judgment.
Phrased differently, lament is the opposite of conspiratorial thinking.
