Is God Really Controlling Everything?

Tornadoes and plagues and viruses… oh my!

There’s so many bad things that happen in our world that it’s almost understandable why some people would be led to believe that it’s just God’s judgment on a city or His decision to bring a virus to the world so people would turn to Him.

While I can understand why some are led to this conclusion, I cannot agree with it because it’s not what the bible teaches. Honestly, it feels like a way to try and make sense of everything because if God causes the bad things to happen, maybe there’s a greater, holy purpose in our suffering. Maybe it’s a good thing after all.

But that right there is one reason why this idea is so dangerous. As long as you embrace what is trying to attack you, you will be overcome by it. The devil knows this and he is counting on this belief in God’s character to keep you from fighting back. An enemy that embraces what is killing them is the easiest to defeat.

So before you swallow the lie that God is not only allowing these bad things to happen but causing them, let me share a few things with you from the bible:

Sovereign does not mean controlling.

The dictionary defines sovereign as “having supreme rank, power, or authority.” Yes God is at the top of the leader board. Yes He is supreme, highest in rank. But that does not mean that He controls every single that that happens in this world anymore than it would mean our President controls every aspect of the individual lives of his citizens. He may be first, but we have free will.

God gave authority over this world to us.

I would say this is one of the most well known bible stories and yet, somehow we tend to forget that this ever happened.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””

— Genesis 1:27-28 NKJV

When God created us in His image, it meant with His purpose and desire to rule over His creation. He gave us that authority when He gave it to Adam and Eve.

The problem is, we gave it to the devil at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And that is why he is referred to as “The Prince of this world.” When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, offering Him all the land he could see, he was able to offer it because it was his to give.

Once Jesus conquered death, grabbed it’s keys from hell and rose again, he took away the devil’s authority over your life. And then what did He do?

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

— Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus won back the authority we lost and then gave it back to us, so we could go out and do what we were always created to do, rule and reign over His creation.

God’s desire is for all to be saved.

Did you know that? Do you ever think about the fact that God does not want ANYONE to perish but for every single person to come to Him and live? If we truly believed this, then we wouldn’t blame Him for the terrible things that happen to His people.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

— 2 Peter 3:9

God’s heart is for everyone to be saved. However, not everyone is. So what does that mean? That God’s will and plans for us don’t automatically come to pass. We have a part to play. We must choose Him. We must take our authority over this world and we must be His ambassadors to the lost.

Bad things happen almost every day in this world. But remember we are not of this world. We don’t have to live our lives in stress, worry and anxiety when we have a God who cares so deeply not just for us, but for every single person on this plantet… even those who will never accept Him.

It’s so important that you settle this in your heart. God does not control everything or everyone and He is not causing the bad things in your life.

If you are struggling with this, then I encourage you to search out the scriptures for yourself and see what they have to say about God. Start with the Gospels by looking at Jesus. After all, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature…” (Hebrews 1:3). If you’re confused about who God is, just look to Jesus.

I’m not here to tell you what to think. But I do want to urge you not to let this world, the devil, the opinions of others or even your circumstances dictate what you believe, for everything can change and shift. Nothing is solid and secure like the word of God. Turn to it to decide what your heart will stand on and you will not be so easily shaken.

God is not our problem, He is our answer. He is not controlling you or this world around you. But He is looking to you to partner with Him to bring the story He has written for you to life. The choice is yours.

Live your story well,
Jess