Good News — God Can’t Be In Control!
by Mike Edwards
It is intuitive to assume an all-powerful, almighty God has complete control. We sometimes assume God has total control when we say “why God” during suffering. It is often said that God has a plan for your life or everything happens for a reason. This implies God is responsible for tragedies in your life. I doubt that! See here what God’s plan is for your life.
God can’t be controlling
Logically, God can’t be all-controlling or all-powerful and humans have some freedom/power? Besides, controlling love is an oxymoron. Ask adult children with such parents. Even the Bible claims love does not insist on its own way (I Cor 13:5). God can’t be unloving, thus controlling sometimes. In God’s defense, it is not possible for God to create freedom unless there is the possibility of love or hate. Without freedom we could accuse God of not creating the very best world where only true, authentic relationships can develop. We must rethink if God can have unlimited control or power.
God doesn’t plan tragedies in your life
No, God doesn’t plan for you to be unable to have children if you desire to be a mom or dad
No, God doesn’t plan for your body to be wrecked by cancer
No, God didn’t want you sexually or physically abused as a child
No, God didn’t want your partner to leave you by wanting a divorce
No, God didn’t want your loved one murdered or severely injured in a car accident
No, God didn’t want you let go from your job
Doesn’t the Bible claim God is all-powerful?
The Bible can be used to defend or oppose believing God is all-powerful or controlling. For instance, the Bible says God changes their mind based on human decisions made. That hardly appears to be a controlling attribute. So much evil in the world surely proves a perfect, loving God can’t be in total control. If a Creator exists, surely a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. I am convinced true Godly or human love can’t be controlling.
Does God just “allows” your suffering?
If we hold on to God simply limits their Power, this suggests God can do something but doesn’t. We must come up with a better explanation that God simply allows — thus controls — evils but doesn’t cause evils. A God who can prevent evil but doesn’t is counter-intuitive to love. No loving parent or God sits idly by when they could prevent tragedies such as rape or murder. No, all evil doesn’t eventually lead to good as if some grand plan by God! Ask sexual abuse victims or family members of murdered victims. Are we to believe God doesn’t care, God is punishing us, or God has abandoned us and left us clueless what the grand plan? God doesn’t just allow your suffering!
The possibility of a less powerful, uncontrolling God!
The only God worth believing in must be loving. God’s nature can’t be all-powerful or controlling. In our suffering we don’t have to feel God doesn’t care or that God could do something and doesn’t. Good news — God knows and empathizes with us in our suffering. God grieves with us. God can empower, inspire, and accompany us. God can influence us to follow Jesus’ example which can make for a much grander world. God doesn’t derive pleasure by seeing us in pain but the unfortunate truth in a free world is suffering happens. Lean on God and others for emotional support and encouragement in difficult times.
Good News — God Can’t Be In Control!
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
