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“Why, O’ Lord, do you stand so far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalm 10:1 (ESV)

One of the first things people that have have faced such traumatic events will ask is “How could God let something like this happen? How can an all good and all powerful God allow such evil?’ It is okay and even normal to ask such questions, David did in the Psalm above.

In verses 3 & 4 we see the cause of evil. The evil man ” renounces the Lord”, ” does not seek Him”, and thinks “There is no God”. Man is the cause of evil, not God. Man has chosen evil over God since Adam & Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. Just like that first act of rebellion, Satan is involved. I truly believe that the young man that shot all those people in the Aurora theater last week is possessed by demons. Does that mean his actions are not his fault? No. Like all of us his actions and rebellion against God provide Satan an opening to influence him. Satan takes advantage of the opportunities we provide him. It is our own sinful nature that brings evil into the world.

So why does not God just end evil? Because He would have to wipe out all of us! “None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even on.” (Psalm 3:10-12, ESV). The real question is why there is not even more evil in the world. God truly loves us, and it is by His grace that we are protected from more tragedy. It is because of His desire to restore us into a right relationship with Him that He sends the Holy Spirit to heal us and free us from sin. God understands our pain and suffering. He came in the person of Jesus Christ and experienced our pain. He allowed evil to be carried out on himself in the form of rejection, ridicule, torture, and finally crucifixion.

In the final verses of Psalm 10 we can find hope. ” O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.” God is listening to you, so ask your questions. Seek Him out. He will not only hear you, but He will use the horrible events to grow and strengthen you. God sees across time and has a plan for you. We may not understand why we have to go through such trials, but the sign of true faith is trusting in Him. Finally, God will have justice, but it will be in his time and according to His plan. Let Him work in you in the mean time. Serve Him and be His witness to others so that they can be delivered from sin. Let Him heal your wounds.