Why Blame God?

When bad things happen, many folks seem to just naturally begin to blame God. And that's too bad, really. These same people refuse to understand there are various factors working together to being about any bad situation.

Society influences what happens in our lives. The spiritual atmosphere around us influences our lives. Even wickedness and sin influence the happenings we experience daily.

For example, if a tornado tears through a town and levels everything in its path, killing men, women and children along the way, many people will immediately blame God. Or if a drunk driver causes an accident that kills a mother and her two children, people begin to blame God. But it wasn't God who caused that person to drink the alcohol that dulled his or her senses to the point they couldn't drive safely. That person made the choice -- not God. The world's acceptance -- and even promotion -- of overindulgence added to the tragedy. And I believe the enemy of God (the devil or Satan or whomever) had a lot to do with it as well.

You see, the way God designed the world is that we have the freedom to make choices on are own. If we choose to follow the world and its ways, the Creator let's us do it. On the other hand, his love for us is so strong and unending that he will try to change our minds. Sadly, when we continue to ignore his guidance, tragedy strikes. And we blame him.

For believers, there is a central truth we must all accept: Our God is not the author of pain and suffering and loss. His way is truth; his way is faith; his way is love. And we must believe this if we are to stop blaming him for the tragedies we face.

Romans 8:28 states that we can be assured that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to design and purpose. So, we can be assured that even when we make choices that have the potential to bring tragedy to our lives, our heavenly father is still able and willing to intervene.

Because of God's love, our pain can become a wonderful testimony to encourage others; our failures can become great gains; and tragedy can become triumph.

Through the blood of his son, the father extends grace to us, grace we should, in turn, extend to others. We should love others as He has loved us.

As one writer has stated, instead of seeing God as a mean father who wants to punish us, we should see him as He is - a gracious, loving father trying to overwhelm us with his love. He continually demonstrates unconditional love to us despite our wrongdoings, shortcomings, and mistakes.

If that is true, why would anyone blame him for the tragedies life throws at us?