For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Psalm 117:2 MEV
For the purpose of this study may I ask have you ever experienced a personal tragedy? That is a loved one lost or injured in a natural disaster, a car wreck, or an accident. What about those who lost their loved one or a co-worker or an acquaintance in a tragic event like 9/11 or some type of mass shooting? Ever then asked God why?
All believers can boast of God's goodness when things are going well. The real question is can we hold fast to this same belief when things aren't going so well? Can we say with bold confidence that God is always Good even in the face of tragedy and loss?
This bold confidence and conviction to proclaim His all the time Goodness and to fully believe it unhindered by circumstance is a journey of Faith, Grace, and personal experience. This is a journey that some have not embarked on. It is not an easy journey for anyone.
It's a journey of Faith because we fix our minds on the Word, and are not moved by any circumstance or situation. It's a journey of Grace because we trust in Christ alone and not in ourselves in any way. Not our intellect, not our reasoning, not our doing or abilities to try and "fix" something. Finally, it's a journey of personal experience because we also have experienced loss and tragedy and chosen to still believe God wasn't at fault but that He is always Good.
The enemy doesn't want you on the journey. Religious tradition creates new theologies designed to prove that God can still be Good but can also kill your son or daughter with some disease or disaster. Tradition says God is Good but also sends destruction, disaster, and devastation throughout the planet. Religion says God can heal but also makes you sick and afflicts people with a disease for some mysterious purpose. The enemy loves religion but also loves his tactics of accusation.
When the enemy can't convince you of your unworthiness, or unrighteousness, when he can't push you into accepting his accusations about your standing with God, he will immediately attempt to persuade you to accept accusations about God. He begins to accuse God to you. He tries his hardest to get you to accept his lies about the Father. He impugns God's Goodness, His justice, His will for you. He tries to get you to question God's faithfulness toward you.
He works to get you to accept religious lies about God;
"God's willing to heal some but not you."
"God's goodness and mercy only go so far."
"God's putting this on you to punish you."
"God brought this in your life to better you, if you resist it you're rebelling against God."
In answering the question about why tragedies, we must firmly establish our hearts on the Biblical and Christ demonstrated truth that God is always Good. No matter how the question of suffering is worded, the answer is only found when we know and understand and receive the truth that God Almighty is a Good Father. Always has been and always is.
Jesus Himself said He is the express image of the Father. Jesus said He only does what He sees the Father doing. Jesus when asked by the Disciples to show them the Father, responded if you have seen me you have seen the Father. Jesus didn't make men sick. Jesus didn't cause men to experience poverty. He never sent pestilence, plague, or pandemic. Jesus only went about doing Good. He healed, raised the dead, prospered people, and bore the curse for mankind on that tree, and arose three days later to establish a New and better Covenant.
According to Jesus, there were even tragic events when He walked the earth. Luke's Gospel records Jesus mentioning the tower of Siloam falling. Apparently, 18 people died in this tragic event. Why didn't Jesus prevent it? Does that make Him less Good?
Why God?
We ask why whenever we see great tragedy. We ask why God when we see natural disasters or famine strike various lands and nations or cities. We ask why when a loved one is afflicted with sickness or disease.
In helping us to grasp the truth, allow me to ask another question first. Why did God allow you to watch pornographic videos? Why did God allow people to make/star in, those sinful pornographic videos? Why did God allow you to not report all your time wasted at work? Why did God allow people you may know or even yourself to commit adultery, coldly betraying spouse and child?
When we keep these types of questions in the practical every day of life realm, many of the extreme sovereignty teachings fail, and many questions find their own answers. These other questions are rarely asked yet whenever tragedy strikes we ask God why. The answer to the little things provides the answer to the bigger things.
First, God allows what we allow. This may sound harsh but it is truly loving. God gave man free will. How we use that will oftentimes determine if there will be tragic consequences. Secondly, because God allows what we allow i.e. free will, the planet became a fallen and fractured creation. In a fallen world, where sinful men dominate, and the enemy is the god of this fractured system, (see 2 Corinthians 4), we will continue to see disasters, destruction, devastation, and desolation until Christ returns.
That's why there are tragedies. Let us not lose hope though. Let us not throw in the proverbial towel. Let us not just quit and simply lay down as a soft target for the enemy and curse on the earth to come freely attack.
Jesus is alive! Happiness and joy are ours in Christ. We know that any suffering here is nothing compared to the abounding blessings glory will bring to those who believe for all eternity. In this life, Jesus is still Lord. We have the Spirit within us. God, by Faith, can lead us and guide us into safe paths of protection.
Though the enemy is defeated, he is an outlaw fallen angel and he may attack but God has given us powerful weapons to counter him. We have the armor of God. That is knowing who God is, who we are, and enforcing the enemy's defeat. This may be a fallen world but Christ is here with us, He may bring us out or bring us through but we always have Him with us. This is why we can trust in Christ and in His Goodness.
In summation, God is Good. True, there may be tragedy in a fallen world, however, don't stop there. Jesus said in Him we can overcome. We can walk in victory because in the midst of any situation we know God didn't cause it, ordain it, or send it. We can always run to Him. He is our shield, our defense, and our protector. He is our dwelling place. God is always Good, He is not the author or "allower" of evil or tragedy. God is a Good Father, always!
Image by Anand Kumar from Pixabay
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