Coincidences? Or not?

This post has been a long time coming. So here we go.

A lot of Christians (or most?) say that there are no such things as coincidences. I have asked God to open my eyes to the small things that he does in life, or even, "Where should I go eat lunch today so that I run into someone you want me to see and talk to?" Time and time again, He has brought me places to see people I needed to see or that they needed to see me. I remember the most distinct one was I had just gotten my free coffee at my Starbucks, and on the way home, as I passed by another Starbucks, I had this sudden huge urge to get another one. Why? I would have to pay for this second cup of coffee after I just finished my free one. But it was this urgency. Go. When I got there, there was a girl I hadn't seen in months and had no way to contact, who I had prayed for recently and didn't know how to reach out to her. Other times I have specifically prayed to see someone, and there they were! I don't usually say, "Woah, I just prayed about you, that I would see you, and here you are!!!" But sometimes I do.

Sometimes, I pray NOT to see someone. And then I see them anyways. Or all the time, in places I would not have normally seen them. And I think, why? Is it for a purpose, or is it not? Am I supposed to be learning something here? Or is the other person supposed to be learning something and I am just part of the process?

I have had situations where, although small, I thought God had made things happen for a specific reason, and then it turned out not to be what I thought it would be. And I was mad, wondering why God would let all those small things roll into a million things, misguiding me. I'm sure there are ways to make something out of nothing... and look into things and choose what you think it should mean.

There are times in life when I stomp my foot and say, "There ARE coincidences!! Sometimes when we think it's God, it's just not. It's just life happening."

But I haven't fully made up my mind yet.