Fact: If God wasn’t in charge of this world, we would be in a whole heap of trouble.
Heck. God IS in charge of this world and it still seems like nothing but pain and sorrow.
Specifically on days like Monday when the news broke of the shooting in the Washington Naval Yard. My feelings were all over the place, both questioning and affirming my faith (at the same time if that’s possible.)
My first reaction upon hearing the news? Terror! Fear flooded my heart as well as about a million what ifs… What if something like that happened to my family? What if my loved ones are taken away? What if...
Then I remembered. God was in charge. And while it sure wasn’t his initial plan for terrible things like this to happen, it sadly is the nature of the world we live in. I guarantee that God knew it was going to happen, and was there with everyone involved in the tragedy. Plus, if that DID happen to my family or my loved ones were called home sooner than expected… I know exactly where they are going. If God wasn’t in charge, I’d be scared.
After the fear subsided, my heart and flesh flowed with rage/anger. How DARE another human decide to take the life of others? What gives Him the right? Oh, I oughta… Then again, I remembered that God was in charge. The individual that completed this heinous crime has already faced his judgement at the throne of God. It’s not my place to give him a sentence… Because if God wasn’t in charge, I would be furious.
As my anger evaporated at this realization, my heart was overcome with sorrow that can’t be described in words on a blog. I ached for the victims and their families. I ached for our nation. I ached for our terribly sinful, fallen world. Then I was reminded that God was in charge. This overwhelming sorrow made me yearn for heaven, where there will be no more pain or tragedy or sin. Instead, there will be everlasting joy. Yep, if God wasn’t in charge, I would be ever-sorrowful.
I’m not trying to make light of this event. Not at all. It was indeed terrible, and seeing the sorrow surrounding events from this past year (Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Boston Marathon bombing, etc) simply breaks my heart. Painful things big and small happen every day. And it straight up sucks.
But this event also reminds me of the loving, powerful, ever-present God we worship. God never, ever intended for us to experience or feel this kind of pain, but when sin entered the picture, things went downhill quickly.
That is, until Jesus entered the scene. Because of His sacrifice on the cross, we can cling to the hope that we don’t have to live in this world forever. (Amen to that.)
If God wasn’t in charge, I’d be scared. But He is. So I’m not.
If God wasn’t in charge, I’d be angry. But He is. So I’m not.
If God wasn’t in charge, I’d be ever-sorrowful. But He is. So I’m not.
So thankful that God is in charge.
He is, I’m not,
SGK
“Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.” ~Psalm 68:20
