Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.

“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” — these are the words attributed to Albert Einstein, the great thinker who gazed into the mysteries of the universe and saw, not chaos, but order veiled in wonder. In this simple sentence, Einstein binds together science and faith, logic and awe. Though a man of reason, he was also a man of reverence. He recognized that the tapestry of existence — the orbits of the stars, the timing of events, the delicate web of cause and effect — could not be merely random. What men call “coincidence,” he saw as the hidden hand of God, quietly shaping the patterns of the world while cloaked in humility.

The origin of this quote lies not in formal theology, but in the heart of a scientist who beheld the sublime in the ordinary. Einstein, whose mind unveiled the secrets of light, space, and time, was often asked whether he believed in God. He would reply, “I believe in Spinoza’s God — the God who reveals Himself in the harmony of all that exists.” His faith was not one of creeds or dogmas, but of awe — awe at the intelligence woven into the fabric of reality. When he said that coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous, he meant that what we call “chance” may often be the deliberate artistry of a divine intelligence that chooses to whisper, not shout. The universe, in his eyes, was not random, but reverent — a silent symphony whose Composer preferred mystery to recognition.

To grasp the meaning of this saying, one must look beyond the surface. A “coincidence” is an encounter of events that seems accidental yet feels meaningful — a meeting, a discovery, a narrow escape that appears too perfect to be mere chance. Einstein, who believed that “God does not play dice with the universe,” saw such moments as evidence of order disguised as randomness. The divine, he thought, acts subtly, for open miracles might overwhelm the freedom and reason of man. Thus, God hides behind the appearance of coincidence, allowing the soul to wonder and the heart to awaken. For those with eyes of faith, no event is truly random; each is a brushstroke in the vast canvas of providence.

History abounds with examples that seem to bear this truth. Consider the story of Florence Nightingale, the “Lady with the Lamp,” whose tireless compassion during the Crimean War changed the world of medicine. As a young woman, she once wrote that she heard “the voice of God” calling her to serve the suffering. Yet her path was not straight — a thousand small coincidences guided her: a chance encounter with a sick stranger, a letter from a friend, an unexpected journey that placed her in the right place at the right time. Looking back, she saw the pattern — what others called coincidence, she called divine design. Her life was the living proof that the invisible hand of God often writes in secret, only to reveal its purpose when the story is complete.

But even in the lives of ordinary people, the same principle applies. How often have we met someone by chance who changed the course of our lives? How many times has misfortune led to wisdom, or delay to protection? The ancients knew this truth and named it providence — the guiding care of the divine that moves unseen through human affairs. The wise learn to read the signs. They no longer dismiss strange turns of fate as accidents but see them as invitations to trust in something larger than themselves. Einstein’s words remind us that life is not a random scattering of moments, but a weaving of meaning, where even the smallest thread has its place in the eternal pattern.

This insight carries both humility and hope. It teaches us that even when we cannot see the reason behind events, we may rest in the assurance that there is one. When tragedy strikes or plans unravel, the heart that believes in divine anonymity does not despair. It whispers, “I may not understand now, but perhaps this too is the work of God in disguise.” Such faith transforms confusion into curiosity, and sorrow into surrender. To believe that God works through coincidence is to live awake — to look for meaning in every encounter, to listen for His quiet footsteps in the corridors of time.

So, my child, let this teaching settle into your spirit: there are no coincidences, only divine appointments. When the unexpected happens, pause before you label it chance. Ask instead, “What is God showing me here?” Cultivate awareness, for the divine speaks softly — through a stranger’s kindness, a closed door, an unforeseen turn. Learn to see life as a conversation between heaven and earth, where every event, great or small, carries a message meant for you.

For that is the essence of Einstein’s wisdom. The Creator of galaxies and atoms does not need thunder to make His presence known. He hides in the folds of daily life, in the timing of a smile, in the mystery of coincidence. And when we finally learn to see through the veil of chance, we realize that the anonymous God was never distant at all — only waiting for us to recognize His touch.