Tag: love of God

Praying When God Seems Distant

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional3 Comments 
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12, ESV)

For many people, the only prayer they practice is a kind of formal, perfunctory prayer that is done at family gatherings. Such people struggle with prayer because they’ve never viewed prayer as an intimate conversation with God. Jesus warned us not to be like religious hypocrites who use prayer as a chance to win the admiration of others (Matthew 6:5). At its heart, prayer is about experiencing relational nearness to our Lord and Shepherd.

Prayer Is Essential

The number one reason so many Christians lack spiritual vitality in their life is because of neglect of private prayer. “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased” (Psalm 138:3).

It’s fascinating to study the accounts of great men and women throughout history and how consistently each one of them was a person of fervent and consistent prayer.

George Muller, who helped care for more than 10,000 orphans in England and provided education for more than 120,000 children had a daily habit of beginning each day with several hours of prayer. Charles Simeon rose at 4 am every day, so he could spend the first four hours in prayer. Susannah Wesley, the busy mother of 19 children, would sit in a rocking chair with an apron over her head praying passionately for her children. And her prayers were no doubt effective, because two of her sons Charles and John went on to make a tremendous difference for Christ.

Now, on the one hand, it’s inspiring to hear such stories. But if we’re honest, we can also feel a little guilty that we devote so little time to prayer. Such stories might inspire us while simultaneously making us feel like spiritual failures.

But what if we began small? What if we committed to set aside only ten minutes per day to nothing but sitting in the presence of God, opening up our hearts, communing with our Lord, and interceding on behalf of others?

Zondervan conducted a survey of 678 respondents about prayer, and only 23 felt satisfied with the time they were spending in prayer. In his book, Prayer, Philip Yancey recounts some of the struggles he has had with praying to an invisible God. He writes, “In theory prayer is the essential human act, a priceless point of contact with the God of the universe. In practice prayer is often confusing and fraught with frustration.”

We pray because prayer speaks to a universal human need. We are dependent creatures. We were not made for life without God. As Thomas Merton put it, “Prayer is an expression of who we are… We are a living incompleteness. We are a gap, an emptiness that calls for fulfillment.”

If you don’t know how to pray, our Lord Jesus tells us to begin with acknowledging who God is and what He calls us to be (Matthew 6:9-13). In fact, while many view prayer primarily as a way to get things from God, prayer should be first and foremost about intimacy with God.

Why Does God Sometimes Seem Distant?

And for us to have an intimate relationship with God, we need to acknowledge the ways we have turned away from God and repent. Through the prophet Isaiah, God even tells the nation of Israel that because of their national sins, God has turned away from hearing their prayers.

“When you spread out your hands in prayer,
    I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash and make yourselves clean.
    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
    stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:15-17, NIV)

The way back to God begins with owning our sin and repenting. That’s a sobering warning. God does not tolerate sin in the midst of His people. He says, “You’re lifting up hands in prayer, but those hands are covered in the blood of the innocent. You’re crying out for Me to listen to you, but you haven’t listened to those most hurting around you.”

This is a warning for all of us. Are we treating others fairly? Are we staying faithful to our marriage vows? Are we treating those who look and think differently from us the same way we treat those who look and think like us? Are we sharing food with the hungry? Are we showing compassion for both the preborn baby in the womb, and also for the unwed mother who feels abandoned and alone? Are we acknowledging the sin in our past, repenting toward God, and seeking the forgiveness that is offered through the finished work of Jesus alone?

Sin is not the only reason God can seem absent in prayer. Even spiritual giants such as King David, Asaph, Ethan the Ezrahite, and the prophet Habakkuk lamented times when God seemed distant (Psalm 13:1; 80:4; 89:46; Habakkuk 1:2). Scripture would urge us to not give up in prayer even when God feels far away. It’s often during the “dark night of the soul,” as John of the Cross put it, that God is doing His deepest work in our souls.

But whatever you do, don’t give up! The Holy Spirit will help us to pray even when we have no idea what to say in prayer (Romans 8:26).

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12, ESV)

Praying to a Loving Father

If God were a cold and aloof deity, we could hardly bear the thought of praying to Him, considering how we have all failed Him. But here’s why Jesus taught us to begin by addressing God as “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Think of how a good father will do anything to protect and provide for his children. Consider how quickly a good father is willing to lift his little child in his arms and hold them close to his chest, even after that child has rebelled countless times.

“As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13, ESV)

This is why Jesus said God is “our Father.” He loves His children beyond words. In one sense our unrepentant sin is indeed the obstacle to intimacy with God. On the other hand, the primary hindrance to prayer is a failure to see God as a Father who loves us with an unshakable and undying love and is eager to forgive His repentant children. Not only that, but God even delights in you!

If we begin here, knowing that our God is a loving and compassionate Father who willingly takes back the prodigal son or daughter and showers him or her with kisses, we will be willing to repent and ask for forgiveness for the wrongs we have done. In prayer, we approach the Father through the Son, who fully paid for all our sin on the cross. That is why the Book of Hebrews says we can boldly approach the throne of grace, knowing that He is a Father who loves us dearly (Hebrews 4:16).

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

The Hope of a New Beginning

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional1 Comment

You cannot change the past. This is a hard truth for many who can still feel the sting from past blunders, embarrassments, and betrayals. But though we cannot undo what has been done, we can begin again. That’s the great hope of Christianity. And when we begin again, we no longer have to be controlled by our past. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can break free from regret, guilt, and resentment.

Many people say things like, “I’m trying to reinvent myself.” They are tired of being criticized or scrutinized, marked by the decisions they once made. Like a tattoo that can’t be removed, many feel like their past has left a mark that can never be erased. They wonder, “Is this how I will always be seen?” Or even, “Will I always see myself as a reflection of my past?”

Maybe there are times you’ve wished you could relive certain moments in your life. You’ve thought, If only I had handled that differently.  If only I hadn’t spoken so foolishly. If only I had shown more courage or humility in that moment.

If only… How many have this phrase etched across their hearts?

In his 2022 memoir, Matthew Perry, who played the witty Chandler Bing in the hit series Friends, had his own regrets to share. Throughout his career, Perry slept with many women, desperately wanting to be loved but never being willing to commit. He writes of the “if only” moment when he almost proposed to the love of his life but changed his mind at the last second, afraid she would eventually reject him.

“I had missed the moment. Maybe she’d been expecting it, who knows. I’d been seconds away; seconds, and a lifetime. I often think if I’d asked, now we’d have two kids and a house… Instead, I’m some schmuck who’s alone in his house at fifty-three, looking down at an unquiet ocean.”[1]

You might not be a celebrity, but maybe you can relate to Perry’s deep sense of regret. You wonder what life would entail had you popped the question, applied for the job, or taken the leap of faith. But the past remains where it always is. We cannot jump into our DeLorean, fire up the flux capacitor, and travel back through time.

Moving Forward

Some of us have committed greater sins than others. Some of us have been sinned against greatly. In some sense, we all have baggage. But it’s so important to know that you are not alone in your pain. It may seem like you are the only one going through the deep anguish of regret, but let me assure you that you’re not. God is ready to help you like a devoted shepherd with an injured lamb. The Lord is a healer; He can reach the deepest parts of our soul. When we open ourselves to Him honestly and confess the pain of the past, we can know His cleansing power as never before.[2]

While it’s important to get honest about what has happened, Scripture also urges us not to dwell on the past. You can visit old memories to make peace and learn from them, but it’s not a place to stay. The only way to move on is to move forward.

The Apostle Paul had his own share of regrets. We may know him today as Saint Paul, but his past was stained with blood as a persecutor of the church. And yet he wrote:

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14, NIV)

Paul understood that in order to move forward, you have to have a goal, something to reach for and cling to. Despite his regrets and checkered past, Paul chose to dwell on his Savior “who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Have you discovered the new beginning you can have in Christ? Do you know the ocean of love God has for you in Christ? Saying “God loves you” is not just a quaint cliché we like to say to gin up good feelings. It is an objective fact we can know because Jesus was sacrificed on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NASB)

The cross proves God’s love for us, because all our regrets and shameful failures were piled up on Christ when He “bore our sins in His own body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).

No More Condemnation

Through faith in Christ, we are no longer condemned enemies of God, but justified children of God.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

It’s so important that we come back to this truth over and over. No condemnation in Christ. That needs to be the chorus playing on repeat that never gets old and always quiets our hearts. We never outgrow our need to hear it. In Christ, you are not condemned.

Whatever our mind focuses on shapes our identity. When we feast on the truth, we can embrace this new identity with every sunrise. Trusting in Christ and what He did on the cross for the forgiveness of sins is where it all begins. Unfortunately, there are many so-called Christian authors that are actually proclaiming a gospel of self-love, that the way to move forward is to fall more in love with yourself rather than to embrace God’s love and forgiveness for you in Christ.[3]

Knowing that our guilt was really and truly taken away at the cross is what truly changes everything. And it’s the truth we must continually apply to our hearts, which so often want to condemn us (1 John 3:20).

But what about this terrible thing I’ve done? There’s no condemnation in Christ.

But I can’t seem to move past what’s happened. There’s no condemnation in Christ.

It’s not that sin doesn’t matter to our holy God; it’s that He fully condemned our sin in Christ already.

“He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished in us.” (Romans 8:3b-4a, HCSB)

The condemnation that was owing to us fell on Christ, God’s own Son. In an act of astounding love, the Lord Jesus bore the judgment for our sins.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)

But why? Why the brutality of crucifixion? Why would God do this to His dearly beloved Son — the very One who worked with Him in the creation of the universe, the One who was daily His delight? As one young man put it, “Why not just forgive us without that bloody mess of a cross?”

It’s a good question that gets to the heart of the gospel. The only way to truly understand the meaning of the cross is to first see that God is holy—inexpressibly, unfathomably holy. His eyes are so blazingly pure that He cannot bear to look at sin. We could not dwell with God while covered in sin. That is why our sin had to be judged at the cross if we were to ever have a new beginning. Until that burden was lifted, our past would continue to condemn us—even if we stuffed it down into our subconscious.

No wonder Christians throughout the last 2,000 years have seen the cross as a symbol of hope, forgiveness, and cleansing. The cross assures us that God has not abandoned us in our shame and regret. Because of His astounding love for us, we don’t have to live under the burden of shame and guilt. This is why Christians are always singing about the cross. Without it, we have no hope of a new beginning.

If God Is for You

Our enemy despises the cross. The Bible calls Satan “the accuser of our brothers and sisters… who accuses them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10, NLT). The devil would have us fixate on our past regrets rather than strive toward a new beginning.

Thankfully, the cross of Christ speaks a better word over us.

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:31-34, ESV)

I love this series of questions because it underscores the power of the gospel. If the sovereign God of the universe is for you, why would you ever be afraid? If God declares you are justified, welcomed, and forever made clean, how could you ever feel abandoned? If God gave up His very greatest treasure—His own Son—how could He possibly hold back something less? If God has given you His beloved Son, well, then He will surely give you everything!

When we are not letting our mind marinate in the truth of God’s Word, we will hear the enemy’s word instead. The devil continually prods us with, “Look what you’ve done!” or “Look what’s been done to you!” The Holy Spirit whispers, “Look what Christ has done for you!”

Instead of fixating on the past, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). In love, He will see us through to the end. In Him, you can have a new beginning as a beloved child of God.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] Matthew Perry, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, 176.

[2] Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9.

[3] For example, see Rachel Hollis, Girl, Wash Your Face. This book is reviewed by Alisa Childers here: Girl, Wash Your Face? What Rachel Hollis Gets Right and Wrong (thegospelcoalition.org)

The Self-Giving Love of God

On By Jason SmithIn DevotionalLeave a comment
Niagara Falls, beautifulworld.com

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13, KJV)

It is impossible to fathom the depths of the humble, self-giving love required for the God of the galaxies to limit Himself to the workbench of a Jewish carpenter. At the same time, knowing that Jesus, the God-man, stooped to such a level out of love for us should get our attention. Too often, because we are such fickle creatures, we are in awe of things that are destined to pass away — inspiring films, beautiful buildings, a sports victory — while at the same time hardly affected by the most sublime truth in all reality. You have an enemy who would love to steal your attention away, with countless daily concerns and distractions, from that which matters most.

Can I encourage you to do something right now in the midst of all of life’s pressures? Reflect on the passion of Christ for a moment. Perhaps the story of the Crucifixion is something you have heard countless times. But the truth of God’s love for you is no less powerful after hearing of it one million times.

Even now, as I consider Christ hanging there like a common criminal of His day, I have to ask: How much must God love me if He was willing to go through the unspeakable torment of the cross in order to bring me to Himself? I encourage you to ask the same question. Peer back through the centuries to that lonely figure on the cross. Take some time to gaze at His nail-pierced hands. Consider His humiliation before ever getting to the cross. Trained torturers whip Him and beat Him and mock Him. One particularly brutal Roman guard grabs hold of His beard — a symbol of honor for a Jew — and rips it out by the roots (Isaiah 50:6). “So, you want to be known as the King of the Jews, do you?” one soldier sneers, as he firmly presses a crown of razor sharp thorns onto His sacred head. By the time they have finished with Him, He has been reduced to a mangled mess. Even His closest friends could hardly recognize Him when He stumbles pass them under the weight of the giant beam of timber they’ve forced Him to carry.

When they reach Golgotha (“Skull Hill”), the soldiers strip Jesus of His clothing, His only earthly possession. The idea was to maximize His experience of shame before all the jeering crowds. After driving the nails through His hands, they hoist Him up on the wooden cross so everyone can laugh at how pathetic this would-be Messiah looks now. He has never felt more alone. Even His own Father, too holy to look on the sin-bearing sacrifice, has turned His back on Him.

The eerie mid-afternoon darkness is environmental evidence that the judgment of God is being poured out. In a hoarse and cracking voice, the bleeding and battered man screams at the heavens, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). I cannot think of a more excruciating, painful, and humiliating experience than what Jesus went through that Friday afternoon.

Now think on this: Jesus freely submitted to all of this for you. He looked over His Father’s plans from beginning to end, then looked up and said, “I’m in.” Even if you were the only sinner in the whole world who needed saving, Jesus would have endured every bit of just for you.

At the same time, this was no easy decision for Jesus. Picture Him in the Garden of Gethsemane the evening before the crucifixion. Jesus is laying prostrate before the starry heavens, crying out to His Father in agony. Already, the darkness of night has enveloped Him. As He contemplates what He will endure in the next twenty-four hours, beads of bloody sweat begin to dot His face. A tear rolls down His cheeks.

Jesus prays, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” The cup Jesus spoke of was the cup of God’s wrath, and it could not be taken from Him. The only way for us to be spared from God’s righteous wrath was through a sin-bearing substitute taking our place. So Jesus prayed, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39, NIV).

Perhaps the most shocking thing of all is that we were in no way worthy of saving. We hadn’t sought God out. We had turned and run from Him. Each one of us – in no small way – have rebelled against God. We’ve heard His footsteps behind us. We’ve heard Him calling out to us. But we’ve run to hide in the bushes.

Like a loving Father earnestly seeking His missing children who have run away, knocking at every door in the neighborhood, God has passionately pursued us. But we stayed hidden in the shadows. The Bible says that even while we were running down the path of self-centered pursuits, God did the most selfless thing of all.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)

At the very point where all hope for us had faded and it would only be fair and just to leave us alone on our way to hell, God stepped in. He sent His own Son ahead of us to bear the punishment meant for us. As one grabbing the coattails of a blind man headed over a cliff, Jesus reached out to rescue us and give us sight. Because Jesus broke through the death barrier, we too can experience newness life.

One of my favorite hymns, “And Can It Be?” by Charles Wesley, captures this truth perfectly:

“And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?“

Let this truth sink in anew: The God who made you loves you more than you ever dared imagine. His love is like a massive waterfall or ever-flowing fountain that never runs dry. No matter what you have done, His love for you has not diminished one bit. He’s offering you a fresh start. Full forgiveness for all past wrongs. He’s longing for you to let Him love you as a Father. He wants you to know that life can look beautiful again. Turn your life over to Christ today, perhaps for the first time. Surrender your everything to the God who loves you with all that He is.

Feel free to comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Set Free from Fear

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life2 Comments

By Jason Smith

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV)

You know that moment when you first sense fear rising in your heart? We’ve all felt it. It can happen when you look over the railing above a steep canyon wall that descends hundreds of feet below. You can feel it when you hear the sound of a woman screaming, a child shrieking, or brakes squealing. We all know that feeling when our stomach lurches and our heart sinks. I see it on my three-year-old’s face when he tells me he’s scared of the dark. The experience of fear is common to us all.

But is fear always a bad thing? If you hear an unmistakable rattle while hiking in Eastern Oregon, fear can keep you from stepping into a rattlesnake’s nest. If you are afraid of what too much alcohol might do to you, fear may keep you from driving while drunk. Fear of a loss of income may keep you from sleeping in.

So fear does serve a purpose – at times. But fear should not be our default mode of life. We shouldn’t operate hour by hour persistently dwelling on the “What ifs” of life. “What if this goes wrong?” “What if something happens to the ones I love?” “What if I fail?” In the midst of this ongoing pandemic, many Americans have become chronic worriers. Countless bad decisions are made when we are driven by fear. Growing up, I remember my mom saying to us kids, “You don’t want to be a worry wart.” That’s sound advice, Mom.

In fact, it sounds a lot like something Jesus said: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27). In that context, Jesus was talking about those who worry about not having the basic necessities of life, like food and clothing. So if we cannot lengthen our days by worrying, why do we do it? How do we break free from the shackles of fear?

It has everything to do with replacing your toxic fear of loss with a healthy fear of God. Interestingly, “fear not” (or some close variation of that) is the most common command in Scripture, and our need to “fear the Lord” is one of the most common themes. When talking to His disciples about facing persecution for their faith, Jesus put it this way: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). To fear God is to revere Him, to honor Him as holy and powerful. It’s less a cowering dread and more a humble submission to God as the Almighty Sovereign of the universe. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” writes King Solomon (Proverbs 1:7). To fear God is to recognize that only His grace can save us from the worst thing imaginable – a Christless eternity in hell. In a strange paradox, when we fear God properly, we can actually grow in our love for Him. This is because He loved us first and He alone can ultimately deliver us from every conceivable danger.

The psalmist writes, “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday… Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place – the Most High, who is my refuge – no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent” (Psalm 91:5-6, 9-10).

All other fears steal away our confidence, but fear of God instills us with a humble confidence. Why? Because if we know that through faith in Jesus, God rescues us from even the worst thing imaginable (an eternity apart from Him), we ultimately have nothing to fear in this life. That’s how Jesus’ logic works in the statement above. The worst possible thing to happen to you is condemnation from God, but because Jesus washed away all our guilt through the shedding of His blood, believers are set free from fear. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). What can anyone or anything possibly do to one who is secure in Christ’s loving arms? Nothing, ultimately.

The Apostle Paul asks a series of “who” questions to drive this point home: “If God is for us, who can be against us? … Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died … Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” (Romans 8:31, 33-35).

Does anyone doubt that people still fear such things today? Paul’s response is emphatic: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (v. 37). Notice that Paul doesn’t say believers in Jesus are barely scraping by while cowering in fear. He says “we are more than conquerors” not because of how great we are, but because of Him who loves us. We are safe in Christ and not even death can separate us from His love. For the believer, nothing can ultimately destroy you or sever your bond with Jesus.

This doesn’t mean we now can throw caution to the wind and brazenly make reckless decisions that would likely harm ourselves or others. But it does mean that we make decisions based on love for God and others, not fear.

If you don’t yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ, I have to ask: What are you waiting for? I invite you to turn from your sin and come to Jesus by faith, trusting not in your good works but in His good work of dying on the cross for your sins and rising from the dead. When you do that, you can have the fear-crushing assurance of being forgiven and spending eternity surrounded by His love.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). So fear not.

Feel free to comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Photo Credit: American Expedition

Is God Really in Control?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

By Jason Smith

“I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Just how sovereign is the God of the Bible? When one considers the endless stream of chaos, violence, and injustice reported on both local and national news stations, it could be very hard to believe that God really is in control.

The Bible describes God as infinitely loving, righteous, and good (Psalm 34:8; 145:17; 1 John 4:8).  In fact, Scripture reminds us that if there is one thing we can absolutely count on, it is that every single good thing we have has come to us from the loving hand of our Father in heaven (James 1:17). Friendship. Love. Family. Income. Health. A loving community of believers. The food in our stomach. The mocha I drank this morning. The car I drove to work in. Even the seemingly insignificant trivialities in life that brighten my day. They all come to me as undeserved gifts from a Father who delights to shower me with His love. This is important for me to remember, because apart from God’s grace, I would quickly lapse into the worst kind of pessimism.

That being said, what are we to make of all this evil and perversity in a world run by a good and holy God? In light of all the suffering in the world, atheists such as Richard Dawkins frequently say the burden of proof is on those who claim an all-powerful deity exists. Psalm 115:2 says that the nations may taunt, “Where is their God?” But our response will always be, “Our God is in heaven and does as He pleases” (v. 3). However, if we are honest, we can admit it is sometimes difficult to see this.

Repeatedly, Scripture reminds us of God’s all-pervasive sovereignty. “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psalm 103:19, NASB). “The Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17). In fact, God’s sovereign control is so meticulous that every roll of a dice or flip of a coin is determined by Him (see Proverbs 16:33). Thus, God decides the outcome of every NFL game that goes to overtime.

Why So Much Suffering?

But the question remains: If God really is in total control, why is the world so filled with evil and suffering? Upon a moment’s reflection, one can see that this is a tragedy-stricken world. We see bitter racism, hostile international aggression, lawsuits filed between those who once professed undying love for each other, and terrible diseases afflicting little babies. How are we to make sense of this conundrum? This question quickly flees the realm of the theoretical when either you or someone you love is struck by grief, tragedy, or betrayal.

In the biblical worldview, we are reminded that all suffering, disease, and death is the result of Adam’s fall into sin (see Romans 5:12). Although he was one man, that rebellion had a cataclysmic effect on all creation. We may downplay the seriousness of sin, but it always has consequences that extend even to the creation we inhabit. The natural world is subject to frustration, in “bondage to corruption,” and “groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:20-22). Adam led the way, but by extension, the whole human race is described as being in revolt against our Maker, suppressing the truth that He is righteous and we are not (Romans 1:18-21; 3:10).

It is into this broken world that God sent His dearly beloved Son to suffer alongside us as a human being and ultimately bear the infinite debt we owed for opposing God’s design and purpose, so that we might be totally forgiven and reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). God loved us even when we hated Him (Romans 5:8-11). Jesus, the God-man, can “sympathize with our weaknesses,” pain, and frustrations, because He lived as one of us, “yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). In other words, God has proven through the cross that He has not abandoned us. Because of Christ’s atoning work, one day He will usher in a new creation where there will be no more pain, tears, or death (Revelation 21:1-5). We must cling to this unspeakably precious truth. At this point, you may be thinking, That is all true, but what about the suffering we still have to deal with today?

“I Am Yahweh, Who Does All These Things”

Many have proposed the solution is admitting God’s limited ability or knowledge, but Scripture everywhere rules that out.[1] Apparently, our comfort in suffering cannot be that God tried His best, but was simply unaware or unable to do anything about it. Remarkably, God often emphasizes the extent of His sovereignty in the very context in which the most heinous evil is described (see Genesis 45:5-8; 50:15-20; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28). Isaiah makes this very point when he quotes God declaring how He will equip the ungodly King Cyrus to accomplish His purpose.

“I am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,

that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Notice God intentionally describes the full spectrum over which He has control: “I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things” (v. 7). The Hebrew word for “calamity” is ra (רָע) , which is most often translated “evil.” Although we may hesitate to credit God with having perfect control over all evil, our Lord is not. God seems to be going out of His way in Isaiah 45:5-7 to declare His sovereignty in all its fullness. Both good and evil occur according to His providential will. God is obviously not the direct cause of evil — He is spotless and holy. Nevertheless, He indirectly permits every instance of evil. If He did not, He would not really be sovereign. In fact, if something happened outside of His control, He would not truly be Yahweh, the God of Scripture. That is the whole point of saying, “I am Yawheh, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am Yawheh, who does all these things” (vv. 6b-7). God is the one who purposefully “works all things according to the counsel of His will” while nevertheless remaining perfectly righteous in all His ways (Ephesians 1:11).

The Greatest Comfort in Suffering

So, what’s the point? Just this: there is untold comfort in knowing and believing that God really is in control over all of creation. When pain and suffering rock our world, we can easily feel like we are drowning in a current of chaotic emotions. Fighting desperately to keep our head above water, we can struggle to believe that God is even real in those moments. Isaiah says Yahweh is a God who at times seems to hide Himself (Isaiah 45:15).

However paradoxical it may seem initially, the thing that will bring us the most hope and solace in the midst of our suffering is the reality of God’s absolute control – the truth that nothing can ultimately thwart His sovereign will. No matter how many times we get knocked to the ground, we can know that our King is never knocked off His throne. That is why we can trust Him when He says, “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (v. 22). This is not a provisional salvation, but an assured “everlasting salvation” (v. 17). If God truly is sovereign, then we can bank on His promise to use every instance of evil in our life to bring about His good purposes. We can be certain that our suffering is not meaningless. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Perhaps no truth is more comforting while we walk through pain and suffering than knowing that in the midst of all the chaos and confusion, God is working for our ultimate good and His everlasting glory.

Obviously, His moral will can be resisted by His rebellious creatures.[2] We’re not merely pawns on the cosmic chessboard, but free moral agents who are responsible for the choices we make. Yet, even this is only because He, the omnipotent Creator, allows us to go our own way. God’s providential plan for the universe — even His meticulous sovereignty — can never be thwarted by human evil. Think of it: He can even choose to rescue His people through a wicked man like Cyrus, who doesn’t even know Him (Isaiah 45:1, 4-5). That is why He is a God worthy of our total allegiance and worship (v. 23).

When suffering afflicts us, we are often surprised by it, but God never is surprised by our suffering. And that is the truth that will be our lifeline pulling us through the agony of hardship.


[1] “Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17; also see v. 27; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4; also see Jeremiah 23:24; Daniel 2:22; Matthew 6:4).

[2] Think of any time we break one of the Ten Commandments, which are an expression of His holy will for human life.