Why God!!
The tragic killing of two children in Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis spurs one of the most commonly asked questions Christians have: “Why God?”
A tragedy, especially when it involves children, makes us question how a loving, sovereign God could let such tragedies occur. Where is God during these times? Why would He allow this to happen? How could He let people suffer in this way? The list of questions could go on and on.
Avoiding the Cliches
What makes these situations even worse is that there are those who feel compelled to intercede with their “words of wisdom.” They think that their platitudes and cliches will help heal a person’s broken, troubled heart. This leads many to say such things as:
“Don’t worry, he (or she) is in a better place.”
“God is working this out for their good.”
“You will see her (or him) again one day.”
Even worse, some feel compelled to blame the victim or those suffering. This leads to such statements as:
“They got what they deserved.”
“I am sure God had a good reason for punishing him (or her) in this way.”
This was a mentality in Jesus’ day. In John 9, we are told the account of when Jesus came across a blind man. The disciples wanted to know why he was blind, asking Jesus, “Who sinned? Him or his parents?”
In our quest to find peace, we are quick to assess blame. We want to know “Who should we blame or accuse for this terrible tragedy?”
There in the Midst
We live in a broken world, a world that is corrupted by sin. Since Adam first ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin has permeated throughout humanity, whether there was eight billion people on the planet or just two. It has always astounded me how quickly sin can turn to its ugliest form. Consider that Adam sinned by disobeying God and, shortly afterward, his son, Cain, is killing his other son, Abel. Sin has no mercy at all.
That still does not answer our fundamental question – “Why God?” Why does a sovereign God allow these things to go on? The truth is that there is a very simple answer to this question – because He loves us.
That sounds like a crazy response. It sure doesn’t look like God loved those little children in Minnesota. They were murdered! He didn’t love those parents. Their kids were taken from them! That isn’t love at all! In fact, I would say that most of us would see this as anything but love.
Two very important principles need to be considered. First, we live in a broken world and bad things are going to happen. Our God is not a tyrant, forcing us to whatever He wants. He is a God who gives us choices, and sometimes those choices are terrible, wicked, and despicable.
That leads to our second important principle – God loves us. God knows that we are going to do terrible, wicked, despicable things. He knows we are going to suffer. He suffers from those things as well. Yet, He never abandons us during those times.
Our loving, amazing God is always there to comfort us. He cries with us, shares in our anger, and loves us in our outrage. We can say the craziest things, yet God is still there, understanding that we are going to say the most obnoxious things to Him. This will be discussed more in my book coming out later this year, God, Kiss My A**!
No matter what the circumstances may be, the tragedies that may arise, God is with us. He is always there to comfort and help us. He never abandons nor forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6). No matter how we may feel or what we may be going through, our God is always there for us.
A Feeling We All Understand
One does not need to go through a tragedy like what we saw in Minneapolis to have this feeling. There are lots of instances in the lives of all of us when we are asking, “Why God?” That is true of all our participants, as well as their families and friends. Terrible tragedies have gone on in their lives. Abuse, illness, death, addiction, and a whole lot of other sinful things have happened, making them all ask this question.
While we may never understand why these things happen, and we rarely have an answer that satisfies us, we can still know that we have a God who is always there for us. A God who loves us and is grieving with us.
We also have a God who wants us to know that the answer to our tragedy is not that we have done something wrong. Recently, the mom of one of our participant’s told me that she and her husband have been asking themselves what they did wrong that led to their son’s addiction. Like in John 9, they wanted to know if it was their “sin” that led to their son’s battle with drugs. The answer to that is “nothing.” You may do an amazing job in whatever you are doing, yet bad things still happen. We are not God, after all.
Terrible things happen. They are unfair. They are tragic. They are heart-breaking. They may even be fatal. They may seem totally senseless. and God understands our sadness and anger. He wants us to come to Him and ask, “Why God?” He wants us talking to Him.
However, this is not the time for platitudes, like “God is doing this for your good” or “I am sure God has a plan in this for you.” Instead, it is time to say, “Let’s lean into your Father. He is there to comfort and mourn with you.”
Hope Good News
Three men will be joining the Hope CDA Life Transformation program next week. Kevin Wiley, Braedon Bonnell, and Evan Dearborn are set to begin a new pathway in life… Tristian Lane will reach one full year of sobriety on September 1. Truly amazing!
Get Those Projects Done Now!
With summer winding down, it is a great time to get some work done on your home and car. For those needing a great cleaning of your vehicle, please contact Divine Shine (319) 929-3084. We not only can make your car, SUV, truck or other vehicle shine like brand new, but we are also offering RV and boat detailing. Divine Shine is ready to get your boat or RV ready for winter.
Still need a home remodel or renovation project done or are you looking for a concrete project to be completed. Call Cory Clubb (319) 929-6062 to get a free estimate on your project. Don’t put it off. Call today and take advantage of our special – 15% on labor costs if you book by September 15.
Prayers for the Week
We ask you to join in prayer for these things:
- For Braedon, Kevin, and Evan as they begin the Hope CDA program. May God do an amazing work in their lives.
- For the upcoming Gala. May God use this an amazing night to glorify His work at Hope CDA.
- For Tim Ehlers. There was a warrant for his arrest that he was unaware of and he was taken into custody last week. May God give judges and other court officials wisdom to allow him to continue on an addiction free pathway.
Tuesday Night Encouragement at Hope CDA
Just a reminder that the men are participating in the Alpha Course at Mission of Hope and will be there through the end of October. There will be no Night of Encouragement at the Hope Center until the first Tuesday of November.
Get The Hope Herald Each Week!
Not receiving The Hope Herald each week? Sign up below and you can receive the latest news, teachings, and other information from Hope CDA each week.
