Where's God when bad things happen?
So where was God during the recent acts of terrorism? Hasty responses to that question will only produce simplistic answers such as: God doesn’t exist; God isn’t loving enough; God isn’t powerful enough; God gave people free will and now he’s stuck with the consequences; God was punishing individual people or God is not the Sovereign God (i.e. all-powerful God) that Christians claim him to be. Based on my understanding of the Bible and my experience as a Christian for more than three decades, I reject such notions.
Rather than being tempted to doubt either the goodness or the power of God, I suggest that we consider how we each respond to God when bad things happen. We are all subject to both good and bad things. Good things may turn us to God in thanksgiving but can also turn us away if our blessings cause us to become complacent and self-reliant. Equally, bad things may turn us to God as we recognise our mortality or, conversely, they may harden our hearts towards him.
One does not need to be a prophet to say that there will be, without doubt, further terrorist attacks, more wars and natural disasters, besides many a personal sadness to come. May I urge you not to allow bad and evil to cause you to demean the power or the goodness of God. Better by far to trust that God is with us at such times. And that is what the Christmas message offers. It offers us Jesus who is Emmanuel, which means God with us; not baby Jesus in a manger but Jesus as he is now, saviour and the Lord of all things.
Basic to the Christian faith is the promise that ‘All things (good and bad) work together for (the ultimate) good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.’ Are you able to perceive that call? Jesus speaks as God when he says, ‘come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you …. and you will find rest for your souls.’ Now, that is a Christmas gift worth having.