Have you ever blamed God for something?

I came very close to it when my little sister died. She was in her mid-twenties when it happened. She died in her sleep for no good reason. I can remember being extremely angry at God for this. I yelled at him a fair bit. But I didn’t blame him for it. I recognized that it is something that happens. An unfortunate event, but not God’s doing.

What I’ve come to realize in life is people are quick to criticise. They are quick to blame others for their problems and when it’s a really big problem people strike out at God. They say I can’t believe in a God who would allow for so much war. They say where is God when natural disasters strike?

My response is God is there in our response to war and in our response to disasters. In 2004 there was a large Tsunami in the Indian Ocean. This event caused massive destruction and loss of life. It also generated an outpouring of support from people all over the world. This was God’s reaction.

I’m a firm believer that God handed this world over to us, asking us to act as its stewards. What transpires here is God’s will only in so much as it is our will. If we allow injustice, evil, and tyranny to dominate our lives we have only one place to put the blame and that is squarely on our own shoulders.

In listening to people talk I find there is a lack or inability to take personal responsibility for ones actions. Everything is someone or something else’s fault. Inaction in the face of oppression, conflict or disaster is as bad as causing that event in the first place. We are global citizens, we have a global responsibility. That responsibility is not to curse God’s name, but rather to take action and make a difference. To do what God asked of us and be faithful stewards, in all aspects, of this planet.

Yesterday, disaster almost struck.

I doubt many were cursing God, rather voices were saying ‘Thank God’ and ‘It’s a Miracle’.

In the words of Job:

Then his wife said to him “Why do you retain your integrity, curse God and die.” To which he responded “You speak like a fool, should we accept the good from God and not the bad?”
- Job 2: 9-10