Do you blame God for the misfortune?

In 2005, about 20 people from same local church died in motor accident around 4.30pm when they were returning from funeral in Ghana. The question some people at the scene asked was “why didn’t God protect them from the accident?”

Do you blame God for the misfortune?

I know this is kind of freaky question but it is worth asking because it is easy to blame God for the pains we go through. Some even doubt the fact that God care about their lives. They hold this view, among others, that if God really cares, why would He allow pains and sufferings to come upon them.
They blame God for the negative things that happen around the globe, which is in contrast to what the scripture says that “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father”. God loves us (John 3:16) so much that He doesn’t desire any of His children to suffer.

The question now is who is behind all evils in the world today? And why do people, including some believers, fall into that trap?

The answer to the first part can be found in 1 John 5: 19. The scripture says We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. (NLT)
This means that anyone who has not accepted Jesus as his/her savior is under the control of the evil one and Satan inflict them with pains and sufferings. Some believers fall into the trap when they don’t allow God, through His Spirit, to lead them in decisions they make. God speaks but they hardly hear him because of the dictates of the flesh.

God allows us to go through some situations to make us strong in Him. At times too He does that to show us His power to deliver or rescue His Children. For instance in Acts 12, Peter was put into prison. The question is why did God allow him to be imprisoned? Well, in verse 11 Peter said “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” (Acts 12:11 NKJV). The testimonies from Daniel and the three Hebrews stories also confirm that God allows some situations in order to show himself to us in a greater way.

Ruth was a very beautiful young woman who lost her husband. Naomi also lost her husband, and two sons. Someone may ask why did they die? Naomi and Ruth later went to Bethlehem where Naomi guided Ruth to meet the Man who loved her regardless of her status. They gave birth to David’s grandfather, and Jesus Christ came through that line. I believe if Ruth hadn’t lost the first husband, she wouldn’t have been part of the greatest story ever told in the history of the world. If Naomi hadn’t gone to Moab, I wonder where she would have met Ruth?

People blame God because they fail to see from His viewpoint.  I have a friend who lost his father and the mother had spent all she had to cater for him. Life wasn’t easy as they lived from hand to mouth. It so happened that this guy was short listed for PWC job interview. He went to do his best but he didn’t qualify for that position. He was very bitter and didn’t understand why God wasn’t answering his prayers. He asked me that “but God knows that I need money to cater for myself and my family. why didn’t he help me get the job?” My answer was so simple as I told him softly that “We may not understand everything but God knows Best”.

Two months later, I had travelled to another country when he called me jubilating on phone that “it was good I didn’t get the PWC job. I thank God they didn’t employ me because if they had, I wouldn’t have had this new job.” He started mentioning all the benefits he was going to receive from this new job. Initially, this fellow was blaming God but later he found out that God had better plans in his future.

God isn’t responsible for the misfortune. He only allows it when He has purpose for it. And your response to the situation determines the level of faith you have in Him. God bless us