Where Is God When Tragedy Strikes?
Introduction
During tragedies like those that happened this week, a reasonable question that thinking Christians ask is "Where is God?" How can a good God allow such evil? That brings even deeper questions like, "Is God weak?" "Is God Himself evil?" and "Is God even real?" These are questions of both the heart and the mind.
I believe that the Bible answers these questions honestly. Yet, it will take time for us to process these answers. The sheer impact of such an evil tragedy cannot be overcome by intellectual answers. The mind is the place to begin, but it will take time for our hearts to catch up. Still, with that in mind, what does the Bible say?
Romans 8:28-32
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (NIV)
Where is God when tragedy strikes? We are going to consider five different possibilities as we answer this question, but in reality, there are only two different possibilities. Either God is responsible or He is not responsible. So, this morning we are going to look at reasons for each.
God is responsible -
Tragedy is God’s judgment.
A few years ago, Pat Robertson made national news by telling the city of Orlando to watch out for tornadoes, hurricanes, even meteors. Long before that, Billy Graham said that if God did not judge America, then He owes Sodom and Gommorrah an apology. Right now, some people may be wondering if Pat Robertson and Bill Graham were right. Maybe this is the judgment of God against our nation.
God does use tragedies for judgment and discipline. It certainly is a possibility that this is part of what is going on here, but that does not not mean that the people who are suffering most directly from this tragedy are under the judgment of God. Both good people and bad people have died in this tragedy. People who love Jesus deeply were killed alongside of those who have no love for Him at all. This act of evil was a totally indiscriminate act. For the righteous who died in this crime, this definitely was not an act of God’s judgment.
It is true that if there were no sin, there would be no suffering. The reason that the world order is messed up, the reason we have disease and disaster is because sin entered the world through Adam. Ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against God, the entire universe has been out of wack. That is why in Romans 8 in the verses prior to the ones we read, Paul says that the entire creation groans for redemption. Sin not only led to spiritual suffering, but it is the cause for the whole cosmos being out of order.
However, to say that if there were no sin, there would be no suffering, does not mean that the person who suffers is suffering as a result of their own sin. Jesus suffered, but He never sinned. In the Bible, we have numerous examples of the righteous suffering. In the Psalms, it is one of David’s most frequent complaints. All the apostles suffered terribly. Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, and murdered. The entire book of Job deals with the sufferings of a righteous man.
So, to argue that suffering is always the result of God’s judgment, to say that those who suffered must not have had enough faith, or been committed enough, or loved God enough, goes contrary to the Bible. Suffering may result from God’s judgment, but that clearly is not always the case.
God is not responsible -
There is a caring God, but He is
impotent.
If you read through your insurance policy, most of them refer to natural disasters as "acts of God." I remember the first time I saw this being rather surprised. In our pluralistic society, God is hardly ever mentioned. That a secular company would attribute any act to Him seemed odd to me.
A few years ago, the Governor of Arkansas made it illegal for legal governments to call natural disasters "acts of God." It is not that this governor is an atheist. Just the opposite. He is a devout Christian. Because He believes in a caring God, he said that these disasters could not come from God’s hand. Good things come from God’s hands. According to the governor, bad things do not. His views are similar to those found in Rabbi Harold Kushner’s famous book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Kushner reasons this way--God is good. A good God would never allow evil things to happen if He were able to prevent it. If He did, He would not be good. Therefore, God is unable to prevent evil. He says, "God wants the righteous to live peaceful, happy lives, but sometimes even He can't bring that about. It is too difficult even for God to keep cruelty and chaos from claiming innocent victims."
There are two problems with this view.
It Is Contrary to God's Own Testimony.
The greatest book in history about the subject of suffering is the book of Job. After hearing God, explain His sovereignty to Him, Job responds to God in chapter 42 with these words:
Then Job replied to God, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, "Who is this that darkens my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
In his suffering, Job had questioned the goodness of God, but after hearing from God, he repents and praises God for being in control of everything, even his own suffering.
In Isaiah 46:10-11, God says:
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do
In Matthew 10:28-31, Jesus says:
28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV)
So, if even a bird that Jesus said was worth half a cent can not fall to the ground without it being the will of God, then it is fair to say that the Creator of the universe has within his power to stop the the acts of terrorists.
On a practical level, what is the difference between -
an impotent
caring God, and no God at all?
If you can’t pray to God in the storm, then what good is prayer? If God could not prevent these terrorist attacks, then why bother praying to Him after the attack? If He couldn’t stop it, then He certainly cannot clean up the mess, either. If God is not in control of even the acts of terrorists, then we are left with an unintelligible world where random events happen. God is victim and so are we. This is a practical atheism. So, to say that there is a God but He is impotent in the face of tragedy is really no different from saying there is no God at all.
God is responsible - God is powerful, but He doesn’t Care
We have the same two problems with this view as we did with the previous one
It is contrary to God's own testimony
Jesus said that we are much more valuable than the sparrows. Throughout the Bible, God professes His love for His children. On this matter, we have more than mere talk. We have incontrovertible proof.
Romans 5:8 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV)
Romans 8:32 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
God has proven his love for us. He has proven that He will go to any length for our good. You cannot question the love of someone who would die for you.
On a practical level what is the difference between -
an uncaring
all-powerful God, and no God at all?
If you can’t pray to God in the storm, then what good is prayer? If God has turned a deaf ear to your prayers, or worse, if God takes a delight in your suffering, then life is utterly hopeless.
So, really, we are left with only two options. Either God is not responsible because there is no God or God is responsible and even tragedy comes to us from the hand of a caring, all-powerful God.
God is not responsible - There is no God.
Suffering is one of the many reasons people give for not believing in God. The 18th century philosopher David Hume said, "Were a stranger to drop suddenly into this world, I would show him as a specimen of its ills a hospital full of diseases, a prison crowded with malefactors and debtors, a field strewn with carcasses, a fleet floundering in the ocean, a nation languishing under tyranny, famine or pestilence. Honestly, I don’t see how you can possibly square with an ultimate purpose of love." [1]
That is a good question. How do we square tragedies such as those in our state or even more severe tragedies going on throughout the world with our belief in a God who has an ultimate purpose of love? Any time you talk with someone who does not believe in God, the problem of evil or the problem of suffering inevitably arises. It is a fair question. How can there be a good God and yet there be such much suffering in the world?
Let’s assume for a moment that there is no God, that the reason tragedies happen is because there is no God. What would be the implications of a such a view? If there is no God, then, in some sense, the problem of evil is solved, but the problem of life is not. If there is not God, then there is no explanation of evil or suffering because there is no explanation of anything. There is no order, no plan. Without God, good and evil lose their definitions.
When you say that evil and suffering prove that God does not exists, that statement means that there is such a thing as good and there is such a thing as evil. This is a deep question, but one I want you to think about. How do you know what is good and what is evil? Most people would say feelings or intuition. But if you see that feelings or intuition are the basis for differentiating good and evil, then whose feelings are we talking about? Hitler’s or Mother Teresa’s? What about cultural norms? Are they reliable guides to what is good and what is evil? In some cultures, it is acceptable to have aunt Betty over for dinner in other cultures it is acceptable to have Aunt Betty for dinner. Are those two cultures equal? In China and much of the world, it is acceptable to oppress your political enemies. Therefore the Chinese see nothing wrong with the slaughter of students in Tienamen Square. In America, we say that is immoral. Are these two cultural views equal or is one right and one wrong? How do you know which?
Then terrorists apparently viewed their acts as good, just acts. There even seems to be some indication that they committed these acts as part of their worship of their god. If there is no real God, then who are we to say they are wrong? How can we impose our standards of morality on those who have differing standards?
As soon as a person makes a claim that there is such a thing as good and evil, he is assuming that there is such a thing as a moral law by which we distinguish good and evil. If there is such a thing as a moral law, then there must be such a thing as a moral lawgiver. If there is no moral lawgiver, then there is no moral law. If there is no moral law, then there is no such thing as good. If there is no good, there is no evil.
Do you get the point? In some sense, Christians are the only ones who have a right to have a problem with evil because if there is no God, then there is no such a thing as good or evil. Whatever happens, happens. If you turn away from God because of the problem of evil, where do you turn? You are left with nothing.
Many have become atheist with the hopes of shaking off the shackles of religion. Many relish in the notion that they are in charge rather than God. Yet, just because there is no God, that does not mean life is any more under your control. In some sense, it is less so and less understandable.
Many years ago, William Ernest Henley wrote a poem that celebrates the notion that a human being can be in control of his own fate. He concluded his famous poem, Invictus, with these words, "It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul."
You are not in control and any control that you think you are experiencing is just an illusion. Good things happen. Bad things happen. No matter what you do, you will have both good times and bad times. If there is no God, then we are nothing more than helpless victims being tossed about in the sea of life. Without God, we must echo the words of Shakespeare in MacBeth, "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more; it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing." [2] Or, as Shakespeare says in As You Like It, "All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
There is no comfort in denying God. Pain and suffering make no sense at all if there is no God. Because if there is no God, life is without purpose, without meaning, and without hope. If the world came from nothing and will eventually end in nothing, then how can we have any value now? All is nothing. We would have to pray along with Ernest Hemingway, in his dark short story, A Clean Well lighted Place, "Our Nada, who art in Nada, Nada be Thy Name ...." All is nothing.
Far from being a relief or comfort, to deny God because there is evil in the world can only lead one to utter despair. That means that the only view which can make sense out of life, the only view which can make sense out of suffering is the view that there is a God and even tragedy comes from the hand of a caring, omnipotent God.
God is responsible -
Tragedy comes from
the hand of a caring,
omnipotent God
Rom 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV) 31 - Therefore what shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
What things work together for good for those who love God? All things. This you will find interesting. I looked up the word "all" in the original language of the Bible. And in the Greek, do you know what it means? It means "all." There is nothing that does not work for good. It does not say all things are good, but that all things work for good. This is not a denial of tragedy or of evil or that bad things happen. The Bible is very straightforward in saying that terrible things do happen in life. But somehow, even the most terrible event in human history, the most terrible event you will ever face in your life is going to work together with all of the other events of your life to produce good.
The word for work together is synergy, a popular word in business these days.
All of the information given about God's sovereignty and love is given as proof of this concept. This is seen by the word "for" in v. 29.
Do you remember the movie, The Karate Kid? It was about a young boy who gets beat up by the neighborhood bullies. An older man from Okinawa, Mr. Miaggi, takes him under his wing and promises to teach the boy karate—on one condition. That condition is that the boy would do whatever he said. So, every day, the boy would go to Mr. Miaggi’s house for his karate lesson. Instead of karate lesson, however, Mr. Miaggi would put him to work. One day he has the boy wax his cars. "Wax on. Wax off." The next day, he paints his fence. The next day, he sands his deck. Never does the boy receive any karate instruction. Finally, he is fed up. He is tired of being Mr. Miaggi’s slave and he starts to quit. Then Mr. Miaggi shows him that all the work he has been doing has actually been training his muscles in the movement of karate.
We are like the Karate Kid. We do not understand all that God is doing for us in the formation of our character. Yet, God has a purpose for everything. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
We know this to be true. Because we know this to be true, we confess that there are times when we do not understand what God is doing. Faith does not rest on our own understanding of all of God’s actions. Faith rests on our conviction that God is good and God is omnipotent. Our faith is not in our understanding, but our faith is rooted in the character of God. So, in times of suffering, we cry out with Job.
I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, "Who is this that darkens my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
Our only hope for both sanity and truth during tragedy is faith. Without it, not only does the tragedy become meaningless, but so do our own lives. We must believe. We must believe that God is in control. We must believe that God is good. If either of these truths are denied, then life becomes meaningless. If either of these points is untrue, then there is no purpose to anything that happens to us. So, above all else, we must cling to our belief in a good, all-powerful God.
We believe this, though, not in a blind leap of faith. We have reasons for it. We look at the world and realize that God made this. It did not come from nothing. If God made the world, then He certainly rules over all creation.
Our belief in a loving God has even more substantial proof—the proof of the cross. Let us keep the cross before our eyes at all times, especially in times of tragedy. When we look at the cross, we remember that God’s love for us knows no bounds. He loves us so much that He did not abandon us in our suffering. He suffered, too.
[1] Quoted
in Cries of the Heart, by Ravi Zacharias, p. 63.
[2] (SOURCE/NOTES: MACBETH, V.v.16)