Here is a text message I got from one of our college students this week.
A pandemic like COVID-19 raises many questions for people’s faith. Where is God in this? Why would God allow evil and suffering like this? Or even more severe…is God actively punishing people?
The more it drags on the more it stirs the pot for these types of questions in our mind.
The Underlying Tension
The reason this question comes up is that there is an underlying tension you feel.
If you claim God would never actively do something like this then you are stuck with the dilemma of why it’s happening…is He not powerful? Is He not in control? Is He like the clockmaker who has stepped back and doesn’t intervene?
No true Christian believes that is the case.
But if God is active in all this then we are left with a different problem: How can this be good? How is God not cruel for not stopping this?
How do we answer these questions well?
In my experience, believers are too quick to try to get God off the hook. We do not need to rescue God. The more we try to explain the more we get into trouble with these answers. We need to stick with Scripture and live with the tension if we want to answer this question well.
So what is God doing in Disaster?
His Word gives you at least 2 purposes:
1. Awaken your Need for a Relationship with God
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Luke 13:1-5
Two terrible things had happened and the crowd wondered if God was punishing the victims for their sin.
Jesus says no. He doesn’t give an explanation. He turns it back to the crowd asking the question.
Everyone is facing the prospect of death and you must be ready. Unless you repent and trust in Christ’s death and resurrection you are staring at an eternity cut off from God.
We don’t know why certain people are dying from COVID-19, but unless you have a relationship with God you are in no better condition.
Let this disaster awaken your need for a relationship with God.
If you are a believer, I guarantee there are people in your life right now who are open to the Gospel. God is awakening them to their need for a relationship with Him and He might be using you to reach them in this season.
Be looking for those opportunities!
2. Move your Eyes from Earthly to Eternal
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
The Bible has no shortage of passages about suffering. Believers in the Scriptures suffered for all kinds of things — disease, persecution, natural disasters, poverty, etc.
God is always calling you towards an eternal perspective.
When some tragedy like this happens it always puts things in perspective. For some reason, the Masters golf tournament doesn’t seem as important anymore.
At the same time, it can reveal where our priorities are out of line. If we can’t take our eyes off the stock market it can be a sign our security and focus are in the wrong place.
We know he wants us to “set our minds on things that are above,” on Jesus, and “not on things that are on earth” (Col 3:2, Heb 12:2).
Do you feel God lifting your eyes off of worldly things?
Let God use this season to focus you in on what matters most.
Does God use disasters?
He did for Jonah. He did with the plagues on Egypt. He will in Revelation.
Is Coronavirus a judgment of God?
Whatever answer we give must include the truth that God is love and God is good. No answer can ignore those two truths. He is not evil or cruel.
At the same time, God is just when it comes to sin. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). All of us are sinful and facing death. God can bring justice on anyone at any time. It’s not evil or wrong. The fact that he doesn’t do it ALL THE TIME is a sign of His mercy and patience.
Whatever God is doing is ultimately for good.
The Cross is the perfect picture of God bringing good from Evil. He sent Jesus to experience the worst of disasters and evil so we don’t have to experience it forever.
We know God longs to be gracious to us and rises to show us compassion. We know he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. We know he is redeeming all things for His glory and will ultimately restore creation to perfect order.
In the meantime, while we experience suffering and disaster we can know He is awakening people and lifting people’s eyes onto Himself.
Put it into Practice:
I am attaching a PDF of a Bible study I led on this topic for 2 fraternities. It has some discussion questions and applications. The document is set up where you can host the discussion over ZOOM. Just share your screen and scroll down to the pages with the 3 points on it!
