Paul appeals to providence (Philemon 1:15): for perhaps he was for this reason parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever. I am very skeptical about people interpreting providence. … Notice, even the apostle, who has shall we say, a more direct pipeline to God, says perhaps, and I think that is instructive.
People all the time are saying,
You know why that happened, you know why I got that accident? Here is what God was doing.Then they give us instruction about exactly what was meant by events that took place—-as though the Almighty whispers answers into their ears. What the apostle Paul is suggesting here is, that there may have been a divine design in this, and that this may be the design here. Was this not perhaps the purpose of God? We do not know for sure. We do not know exactly what God was doing. We never know exactly what God is doing. We know that God is always doing something, but we never know exactly what it is. I think we can safely say not even on most occasions, but on all occasions, God is doing 10,000 times 10,000 different things.This hurricane that was on its way to us, whether it hits us or hits someone else: What is God doing? It missed us. Why did he allow that thing to turn and miss us? Or the other hurricane—its force hit Charleston. Why did God do that? Was it so that we could meet on Sunday night and enjoy this time together? But why did he not allow that for the churches down there that are now not meeting on Sunday night? How exactly do we interpret providence? It is a very, very difficult thing.1
Terry L. Johnson
15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,