God is So Good…Really???
Just a few short thoughts today. My apologies in advance for the likelihood of a sarcastic tone. I’ve been watching updates this past week regarding an acquaintance who was attacked by a nasty infection which traveled through his body and landed in a bony area completely eating through part of the bone. He was ripped open by surgeons, loads of infection and puss scraped out of his body, pumped full of even more antibiotics, and sewn back up to await his fate.
With news of each healing milestone, people proclaimed, “God is so good. God answers prayers!”
I watched a similar scenario play out last summer with another acquaintance. Near death many times, this person clawed and scratched his way back to health, having to have a leg removed in the process. Same thing. With each step forward, the people proclaimed, “How good is our God?”
My question is simply, where was this good God when that infection was worming it’s way into the bodies of these two? And what if things had not turned out so favorably? Instead of a good God, we revert to explaning it away.
“God’s will be done.”
“Pain and death are the work of Satan.”
Don’t get me wrong. I believe in the power of prayer. However, I do not believe begging God to heal someone heals them. I believe the collective energies of many people focusing their attention and intention on a person’s healing actually supports the healing process for a given individual.
If God is so good, if he is the source of all healing, then why does he allow the situation to progress so that a person has to be ripped open and have their insides repeated scraped out by men with knives to heal them? What kind of a loving father would do that to his beloved child if he had the power to stop it? It makes no sense. The logic of Christianity doesn’t work.
Higher purpose? Sorry. Not buying it.
I’m inclined to think crap happens to everyone and some people get lucky enough to survive while others don’t. It’s a coin toss.
What’s your explanation?
As a chaplain in a clinical setting I see both sides of that coin every day I am on the job. I see way more than the average person reading updates on facebook, twitter, websites, or getting updates from loved ones by word of mouth, or over the phone. I am in the trenches. I see the day to day struggle. I witness the agony from both patient and family. At times, I admit, I scratch my head and wonder what God is up to, what the hell is going on. But I still believe in a God that knows best. I cannot say if God allows or even causes bad things to happen to people (good or bad). Frankly, I got tired of that game long ago. Oddly enough I just finished reading the book of Job (which deals with this very issue…and in that book Satan IS the on who is causing all the havoc) but God is still good, nonetheless, although he allows Satan to do what he wants. I for one and glad people struggle with this issue. I believe it is a sign of a maturing faith.
Thanks, Kevin. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. You are definitely the closest thing to an “expert” on this topic I know.
I have no explanation. I have theories and ideas, but no explanation.
I’m forty-two now and have seen my share illness and death. I tend to believe that God is loving,
but rarely – if ever – intervenes in our temporary existence here
on earth. We all endure sickness, pain, loss and death. It is our condition.
It’s how we deal with these truths that makes us who we are.
“….how we deal…..”
Definitely.
The story of job. It explains this exact reason.
I respectfully disagree, David. I find the story of Job to be a lame attempt to explain things. Even it is endlessly confusing and rambling with its various assignments of blame and responsibility for random misery.
Angie, your a straight shooter. I love how you don’t
throw any punches. you speak your truth with conviction!!
Musta been all that 4-H rifle practice growing up. ;-) Seriously though, that straight shooting has landed me in hot water more times than I care to count. Sometimes stating the obvious is less than politically correct.
You did a fine job of explanation. Collective consciousness…or unconsciousness explains a lot for me. By now, you know how I think. Anyone who thinks God is intervening in every illness, every negative situation (only if you are a good Christian in good standing, of course) is not really thinking at all.
As far as the story of Job goes David, I would encourage you to read my posts on the subject:
http://donrogers.org/?p=1699
I always love your input, Don. Thanks for the link to the Job explanation. I think I’ll go back and reread for a refresher.