As life experiences happen it is easy to wonder what role God played. Often times when we deal with pain, loss, or tragedy our first question is, where was God? Or why did he let this happen? Lately, I have been debating and asking myself these type of questions.
During the past week, Orlando experienced an unbelievable amount of suffering. The calamities our country has faced, not to mention all of the problems our world has to face, leaves me feeling sad and hopeless. I know better than to categorize one evil and immoral action as an entirety for the future of humanity, however, "mass shootings" have become a recurrent headline.
It brings tears to my eyes knowing how many families have already lost loved ones to this epidemic. Innocent lives taken by the evil. Weapons, ammunition, and guns accessible for these malicious acts to be successful. To think the past hasn't taught us enough to change. And realizing that at the same time people hold their loved ones tighter, others are pulling their firearms closer.
I came up with a conclusion that God allows us to experience hardships so that we may learn and grow. Learn from the past and our mistakes so we don't allow them to happen again. Grow into a more accepting, understanding, and compassionate society. Know pain so we avoid it. And ultimately, become better people.
So why has evil succeeded?
I would say that tragedy and change go hand-in-hand. When terrible things happen, we experience a type of pain we never want to feel again. We are suddenly reminded that there is something or someone fighting against God's perfect way. Life versus death. Love fighting against the power of hate. Simply put, good versus evil.
Throughout our world's history there have been billions of trials and tribulations that God has allowed to happen. Pain, suffering, sickness, hurt, loneliness, death, unhappiness, diseases, and betrayal amongst those. With every burden came a type of pain, however, each trial, (I believe), was meant to bring along a change within us, within humanity.
Man is weak; by nature our desires are those of the flesh. We look out for ourselves, we crave ungodly things, and we hurt each other, excuse me, we kill each other. We know the difference between right and wrong, however, that is our choice to make.
This is our undeniable downfall, choice. Free will, or the ability to decide for ourselves. Being born as a United States citizen is like winning a lottery, at birth we were given our rights to freedom. Similarly, when God created man he gave us the right to decide.
Most of us don't like change, some may even avoid it, but it is inevitable. We must evolve. In today's society we have to change our ways, because people are suffering every single day. Even though Jesus Christ defeated death on the cross for humanity, death still defeats humans, because we have yet to change. Change into people who are more like Jesus. He never sinned, never committed wrongs against his neighbor, honored his parents, and most importantly honored God's will for his life, all the way to being nailed on the cross.
God won the power over death and evil, but humans still haven't. I believe God could descend from the heavens anytime he wishes, but I ask myself why he would even want to? Why would God want to come into the world he created ages ago to be beautiful, perfect, and good? It is no longer that way, because humanity has yet to use our choices for change.
