I've wrestled with this blanket statement for a while. Usually when something happens someone responds with, "Well, God is in control."
I am someone who questions most things and I refuse to follow something blindly. I would ask myself in my head, is God in control? Does this really help someone who is really struggling? As I participate in pastoral counseling, I think the last thing I would say to someone suffering is, "God is in control." I don't find it to be comforting when they're in the darkest of seasons. It doesn't seem to help them feel better. It makes them look at God with a confusing expression. They wonder why a good God would cause something like, "this" to happen if He is in control.
Church, please stop using Christian blanket statements when all someone needs is a listening ear and to invite the presence of Jesus into their deepest moments.
I started wrestling with this question, "Is God in control?" I needed an answer to help make some peace with this statement I hear in so many Christian circles.
Here is what I've concluded: I do believe God is all powerful. Nothing can overcome or overtake Him. He is the Almighty God who is sovereign. "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:15-20, NIV). He has all authority in heaven and in earth. He is all-knowing (Psalm 139:4: Even before a word is on our lips, He knows what we want to say) and able to be in many places at once. He is God and although satan tries to make it seem like he can overtake God, HE CANNOT. God is Father, Wonderful Counselor, the beginning and the end, He is peace, He is love, He is beauty, He is the rightful Judge, He is truth, and He is grace. He is truly perfect. So yes, I do believe God is in control, but not in the mainstream way that I believe this statement.
I believe the word, "control" used in this statement is:
God has authority to make anything happen, but He knows that currently, satan, is the "ruler" of this world. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:12-13). Evil is rampant because the prince of this world is doing all that he can to try and have more people serve him. Which means he does have the capability of causing bad things to happen. Don't forget that Jesus still has the victory because he died for our sins, death is not our final destination, and one day satan will have no more power to rule this world (Revelation 20:10).
God allows things to happen just like in Job when satan went to God to see what he could do to test someone. God offered His servant Job to be tested. "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason" (Job 2:3, NIV). God used this story of horrible testing to provide understanding to Christians for thousands of years. It provides comfort to Christians when they are suffering. It shows the story of a devout believer wrestling with the depths of despair. It shows what it can be like to have everyone against them and be wrongfully accused. God allowed this testing to give a message. I do not believe that God delights in seeing His children suffer. I wrote in my previous blog that a lot of who God is, is a mystery. We may not understand all that God does or why. I know it seems confusing why God would allow these testings to happen, but I believe everything is for a greater message. It's to provide healing not just for that person, but for anyone who encounters a story of healing. There is so much more to say here, but let's keep it at that.
God does have all authority, but I believe He doesn't cause bad things to happen. I think He allows it because it's apart of living in a fallen, imperfect world. I think he let's the prince of the world to run rampant until his time is over. I believe when horrible things happen, God is hurting with us. It is just like when Jesus weeped with Mary and Martha when their brother died. He knew He was going to resurrect Lazarus from the dead, but He still took time to weep with them. Jesus was and is an all compassionate Father. He never delights in seeing us weep or be in pain. He isn't a "hands off" kind of Father who isn't emotionally present. He is close to us by our side whether we feel Him or not. He is with us in our despair. He doesn't want us to suffer, but it is apart of living on this earth. Suffering is going to happen. Jesus suffered on earth too. He died a death none of us will be able to understand.
God does protect us from bad things happening, but it doesn't mean we are guaranteed for bad things to not happen. We still live in a fallen world.
I want to make it clear that I don't know everything. There are many sides to this argument. This is a complicated topic. Maybe in a few years I'll know more that I could add or wish I could change about what I said. This is just how I've made sense with this statement and what I believe. You're allowed to believe something different as long as it doesn't contradict God's Word. There are so many sides we could take with this topic, but the the root of this is to know God's Word. To believe it and trust in the mystery of God. That when bad things happen, it isn't right to assume that God is just a horrible Father who wants to hurt us. Yes, he has allowed affliction to happen just like in Sodom and Gomorrah. He is just, but he is also grace. I think the best we can do as Christians is go deep, challenge what we hear in Christian circles, and bring it to God. You're allowed to ask questions and wrestle with topics. In doing so, may it strengthen your faith in God. He can take all of our worrying, questions, anger, and hurts. He is so much greater than all these things we wrestle with.
I want to stress the importance of not slapping blanket Christian statements at people without explaining your intent. An example of a statement I'm referring to is, "Just pray about." It dismisses someone's feelings and is basically saying you're unwilling to walk through whatever it is someone is going through/wondering. Just saying, "God is in control," without empathy, compassion, understanding, is like slapping a bandaid on a wound without going through the thick of it with someone. If you have nothing to say then it's better to say nothing at all but with a heart that shows you actually care. Every sheep has a different need and many of us are given the gift of shepherding them along in this journey of life. What a great call it is to wrestle with someone in their questions, and help draw them to Jesus with words of healing.
I hope that this has provided some clarity to you because ultimately, the Holy Spirit has authority to help us understand many things and I believe that our job is to plant the seeds. Holy Spirit, may you water the soil of the seeds I've planted if it be your will.
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