Out of control

How to worship a God who doesn't control everything

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I was listening to a podcast the other day when the guest who was being interviewed uttered four words that almost knocked me off my feet.

“God doesn’t control everything.”

WH-AT???

My first reaction was one of revolt. That’s just blasphemy! Of course he is in control of everything! The Bible teaches that God is sovereign, which means that he has supreme authority and absolute power over all things.

…oh, but wait. Having power and authority isn’t the same thing as choosing to control all things. Just because he could control everything doesn’t mean that he does. That’s what the whole “free will” thing is all about, right?

When I was younger, and bad things would happen to me or to others, I would question God’s goodness through it all. I think most of us have done that. Why would a good God allow such suffering? When I would ask that to my religious elders, I would get answers like this:

“God’s ways are higher than ours. We have to just trust that he is working things out in His perfect timing.”

“Everything happens for a reason. Just have faith that God is working behind the scenes for your benefit.”

“It’s all part of God’s plan. God can change you in your suffering to create a more compassionate and loving person.”

Well, I believe some of that to be true, but not all of it anymore. I certainly don’t believe that “Everything happens for a reason”. I believe in this fallen world, shit just happens. And it’s awful and hurtful and God didn’t intend for it to be that way. His perfect plan isn’t to put us through all kinds of pain in order to make us better people. I’m quite sure an all-powerful, all-knowing, loving God could have come up with a better plan than that to form us into good people.