Texas church shooting

When tragic events like this take place, people can easily question God’s power and love. “If he can do anything, why didn’t he do something and prevent the shootings?” “If God really loves all people, why would he allow those people to suffer like that?” Unfortunately, in some people’s minds God is even more to blame than the perpetrator.

Could God have prevented that horrible incident from taking place? Certainly. God can do anything. Job chapters 38-42 illustrate God’s unlimited power.

If we back up in time, God could have prevented the fall of Adam and Eve—the event to which all sins can be traced. If we back up to eternity, God could have prevented the fall of Satan and the other evil angels. God did not prevent those twin falls from taking place. God does not explain in the Bible why he allowed those events to take place—nor does God have to.

The church shooting in your question is tragic indeed. People gathered in a Christian house of worship, and a man gunned them down. The question your friend asked seems to suggest that worshipers in a church should receive a special level of safety and protection from God. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise that. In fact, during his ministry, Jesus once referred to an incident that could have been the church shooting of that day: Jewish worshipers in Jerusalem were cut down—and not by a troubled man but by agents of the government (Luke 13:1). Sadly, places of worship are not exempt from violence.

When tragic events take place in life and leave us and others with questions, we turn to Scripture. There we re-learn what a vast difference there is between God and us. What are some of those lessons? “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:33-36).

Those verses tell you and me that we cannot pretend to know fully God’s ways and explain them to others. God knows what he is doing. He is still in control of the world he created (Revelation 19:6).

Years ago, I read about a man whose son died fighting in the Vietnam War. He was angry at God and asked a pastor, “Where was God when my son died?” Among other responses, the pastor said, “The same place he was when his own Son died.” In other words, the death of a loved one does not mean that God has withdrawn his love or power. When deaths or other tragedies strike, Christian faith still recognizes a loving God—a God whose ways we cannot always understand, but a God who says, “I’m still leading the way. Follow me.”

Perhaps you can share some of these thoughts with your friend.