'God why have you done this, why?'

A popular car bumper bar sticker reads ‘Life’s a bitch’. I would suggest there wouldn’t be many in our world today who would argue this point. Particularly when we can pick up our papers or open news.com and read about the devastation caused by the fires in Victoria. Although I don’t hold to this truth in its entirety, there have been many times when I have thought that life is tough and unfair. Let’s be honest, the Fires in Victoria are a tragedy and seem extrememly unfair. A tragic loss of innocent lives, shattered hopes and dreams, destruction of homes and the loss of loved ones and families. Surely you could be excused to cry out to God in anger saying ‘God why have you done this, why?’ In fact, I actually heard many people say things very similar to this. The many pictures we have seen shows us that life hurts, and that suffering is a part of life. But, is it fair to blame God for the fires? It seems to me that in today’s world if things are ‘good’ then we award that to ‘fate or luck’, if things are experienced as ‘evil’ then God gets the blame. Is this fair? I’m not saying that God is unable to handle the criticism, I don’t believe he needs defending, but is it right that God becomes the scapegoat for all things evil, particularly natural evils like tsunamis, floods and earthquakes? Take the Tsumami of Boxing day 2005 for example. Clearly, a distinction needs to be made between the effects of the Tsunami and the Tsunami itself. Surely it would be incorrect to call the Tsunami itself evil, just because it resulted in human suffering and the loss of innocent lives. So why is it that we immediately denounce the possibility of a good God and the biblical worldview just things seem out of control? As I look at sad pictures from the Tsunami , I see God actually grieving with the grieved; hurting with the hurt and suffering with those that suffered? I understand that this doesn’t answer why God allows the suffering, but I think that those who are suffering if given a choice to know why they are suffering, or to be overcome of their suffering, would take the later every day of the week. It shows us where God is when tragedy hits, and this is in midst of the worlds chaos and confusion, defeating the evil. God is not behind evil and he certainly did not create it, neither did it exist prior to creation. Evil stands in opposition to God. If you are looking for me to explain evil and give a detailed account as to its existence then I’m sorry. To be honest with you, there’s no real answer or explanation as to why evil exists in a world supposedly ruled and governed by a good God, at least one that satisfies our quizzical minds anyway. I am actually of the conviction that not having the answers for evil shouldn’t worry or concern us anyway. The bible doesn’t seem to have its focus on explaining the origins of evil. In fact, it doesn’t even seem interested in the ‘why’ of ‘how’ of evil, rather, and thankfully I believe, it’s more interested in the defeat and overthrow of evil. What the bible does speaks of however is a battle between good and evil; and ultimately points towards a winner. Viewing evil through ‘battle lenses’ like I have proposed, correctly views evil in our world not as a creation of God, but as a result of God’s good choice to create genuinely free human beings. The bible speaks of a promise that God will make all things right. This world is upside down to the way in which he purposed it. But God is in the business of turning this world ‘right way up’. So when evil and suffering are evident, I don’t question God and ask ‘why’, instead I say ‘God, life hurts, do something about it please’. And then together we join in the ministry of justice and reconciliation.
The cross speaks a better word than all the empty claims that we can offer people who suffer and question faith and God. This is because God was revealed in Jesus, and therefore in him we find someone who understands our suffering as he was not spared emotional or physical pain, he experienced all that we do. The cross on which he suffered and died was also the cross that has assured victory over evil for those who believe.
You see, I believe the tsunami is an unavoidable effect of the commotion caused by the ensuring battle between good and evil. This doesn’t mean I don’t mourn or a saddened by its effects, God is, but I believe that the cross is where evil, not Christ is ‘left for dead’, for three days later Jesus rose in victory, and so I have hope.