Does everything in our life happen for a reason?

Everything happens for a reason. Or does it? There are certain coincident in life which are impossible to explain there and then, but after a while it appears to be a clear and logical consequence of the occurred situation. I partly believe in destiny. I believe we constantly get choices, and those choices are not coincidental. They are natural results of the way we live our lives, of our attitudes and undertakings. I don’t know if there is something beyond our empirical knowledge of reality. This is a question that bothers many of us. Is there something out there or are we all by ourselves? I believe there is at least one thing which is watching over us and protecting us. It’s our own mind. My conviction is that our mind, in the same way as it puts the body into shock when it cannot stand pain, protects us from mental stress by showing the way that we would never choose otherwise. Maybe I am wrong. But I look upon my own life and see that all the network of choices I was getting I have prepared myself. There was no coincidents. It was meant to happen because of my personality. To put in another way – I have unconsciously made it happen. My next question is why do bad things happen to us? Are they just accidents that make no sense? Or do they occur because we deserve it? Is it some kind of trial in order to change us since sufferings make people better? Or is it a warning that you are on a wrong track? I was going through a very tough period in my life lately. Now I try to think philosophically and find the answers. I don’t know if I ever will. But it just seems so unbelievable that such a serious phenomenon as human life can be affected so drastically by some stupid accidents. If anyone has any scientific (or else) theories about this question I would be interested to read the responses. So does everything happen for a reason or?