We live in a fluid world. We change. Our environment changes. We have free will…….we make decisions. God has a long-range plan………God makes decisions. It all goes into the mix……..the mix that becomes our life. The mix that creates our destiny………even our eternity. We control much of what goes on. Most of what goes on is beyond our control. God oversees it all.
But, here is where it gets complicated. God can control it all. Sometimes, he intervenes directly. Sometimes, he intervenes indirectly. Sometimes, he stands aside and lets the world evolve based on the decisions that we make…….based on the decisions that others make.
My brother was a bicycle rider. He rode thousands of miles a year. One day, a lady in a car, in a moment of carelessness, made a decision. She ran him down. He survived; but, he will carry the injuries……the results of her decision…….. for the rest of his life.
My son was a motorcycle rider. One day, a lady in a car, in a moment of carelessness, made a decision. She ran him down. He survived; but, he will carry the injuries…….the results of her decision……for the rest of his life.
On the other hand, I have led a life where everything just fell into place: a wonderful wife, children and grandchildren, a nice home, plenty of food, a comfortable retirement.
So…….where is God in all of this? Who gets the credit? Who gets the blame?
Life is a giant equilibrium. We intervene, others intervene, God intervenes. Out of that mix, our day unfolds. Good things happen. S..t happens. The equilibrium is so complicated that it is not possible to sort out the details. It is not possible to suss out one event and to assign credit……or blame. But, that, of course, does not stop us. Sure, we say our prayers of thanks and petition. But, in the end, we tend to pat ourselves on the back. We look at the good things and tell ourselves that they grow out of our hard work, our brilliant decisions.
And here is where we get into trouble. We look at the bad things that come into our life……every day……and we assign blame. Somebody got impatient. Somebody got angry. Somebody committed a crime. And then we turn to God. We recognize his power, in fact , his omnipotence. And we say, “God…how could you allow this!” Sometimes, we directly blame God. More often, we blame him for not intervening…….for not heading off the disaster…….a disaster caused by decisions made by others……or worse, a disaster caused by our own decisions. We have a couple of beers, get into our car, and run over a pedestrian. And we say, “Why didn’t God intervene?”
Something bad happens…….and we get angry at God.
The truth is that we don’t have the information necessary to parse out the blame. We will probably never understand how to assign the responsibility……for both the good and the bad in our lives. The equilibrium is just too complex…….and we have only a tiny sliver of information to work with. We are completely ignorant to most of the factors that led to any particular event.
What to do?
Acknowledge God and his love for you.
Trust his promise that he will make it right in the end……on his terms…..not on yours.
What to avoid?
Don’t take credit for the good things.
Don’t blame God for causing……or allowing…….. the disasters.
Accept the fact that you…..and I…..are ignorant.
Accept the fact that you…..and I…..are not in charge.
Act within those limitations.
Use your free will for the good of mankind.
Let God be God.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Galations 6:7, ESV
When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
his heart rages against the Lord.
Proverbs 19:3,ESV
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Job 1:21-22, ESV