MK forum

Whoah, those are some HEAVY questions. I'm still wrestling with some of those. Seventeen years and I still don't have answers.
No answers for you.
And I could add enough questions of my own to bring the wrath of the critical down on my head, so I won't risk it.
God knows my questions even if I'm not brave enough to post them.
Amazingly, he holds me close and loves me day and night. Not the least bit put off by my questions that have no answers.
No condemnation. Just grace.
Amazing love .... I will never get over it.

Ok I'll bite on this one for Sherpa Dude!!!

The answer is in Job for starters. God granted permission to Satan to destroy Job's life. However, he did not perputrate the evil. God could have easily prevented the horror in Job's life. Look at Joseph's life too. His brothers sold him into slavery and then he ended up in a dungeon due to the evil of one woman. Joseph's response was that his brothers meant it for evil but God meant it for good. Also, let's not forget our Savior who was killed for the failures of all. Again, God turned the greatest injustice of all into a glorious resurrection and payment for us all. God allowed these evils but God was still in control. Thus, despite the evil God is in control, however, please remember God does not create the evil. These are perspectives that are difficult for us all to grasp. When things go sideways we all normally look for the way out but it is those very things which God can use to teach us the most about His greatness and His unfailing love. He is more than able to use the evil and wrongdoings of men in ways we can't even imagine.

Raz, You brought out such a good point - that God already knows my questions and doubts and that they do not effect his love for me. What a secure place from which to approach this topic!

My non-believing, but seeking, sister-in-law said something to me once as we shared our mutual bewilderment about God. She said she sees herself wrestling with these issues, trying to figure out who God is, but in the end she thinks she will look back and see that God's arms were encompassing her the whole time - that she was surrounded by Him even as she searched for Him. Wow! I think she's got a better grip on spiritual truth than many Christians! How can that be?

I think that things are going according to God`s plan for the universe. I don`t think that God is controlling. That would negate our free will. God created us so that we would desire to fellowship with Him. He then sent His son to enable us to choose to spend eternity praising Him and fellowshipping with Him.

At the very least, I am 90% confident that God controlled his decision not to intervene. I am also 90% confident that God was not "out of control".

I am a father and if I stood by while my daughter was raped and did not intervene, I think it would be fair to say that I did not love my daughter. I may not have "caused" the act, but my failure to intervene did not prevent the act. But for my inaction, the harm would not have occurred.

Are we holding God to a lower standard of love in these cases? What gives here?

i just can't believe for even one second that god ordained this suffering and abuse. i am in the 'free will' camp... men choose to do evil, therefore, we suffer.

is god in control? yes, i believe he is. did he cause the people who hurt my child to commit that evil? no, i don't believe he did. will i be angry at god sometime in the near future when the shock wears off? probably. but i don't think i will ever believe that god sat up in heaven and pointed to the people who hurt my child and said to them, "OK, do your thing now." i believe god is just as grieved - probably more - as i am.