Have you ever played the midway game Whack-A-Mole? There is a unique satisfaction that comes from holding the hammer and trying to bonk those little moles as they pop up from their holes!
Some people view life as a giant game of Whack-A-Mole. In their minds, God is up in the clouds holding that hammer, waiting with anticipation to get the chance to whack one of us on earth as soon as we do something bad. Further, they have the view that when tragedy strikes their world, it must be God bringing the hammer down again.
When bad things happen, whether it’s large-scale destruction such as a devastating earthquake, or personal tragedy such as the diagnosis of a terrible illness, it’s common to hear people say, “Why would God let this happen?”, or “Why would God do this to me?”
I often wonder why the devil doesn’t get the blame in situations like this. Satan is the one who is responsible for bringing sin and evil into the world, so why does he get a free pass? I doubt you’ve ever been part of coffee break discussion where someone remarks, “That bad devil, did you hear he’s trying to take out someone in the valley again?”
The story of Job in the Bible is an example of someone who thought that God was the source of his problems, not realizing that it was Satan had come against him. After experiencing incredible loss, Job remarked, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). This statement might seem to honor God, but it actually shows that Job had a false view of the character and nature of our Heavenly Father.
God is continually revealed throughout Scripture as a giver, not a taker; the devil on the other hand is exposed as a thief – he’s the “taker.” Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
In James 1:17 we learn that every good thing comes from God, and He never changes. God is good, and He only does good things. The devil is bad, and he is the one responsible for sickness, poverty, broken relationships, and every other calamity in our world.
Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” In sending His only Son to die for you and me, God displayed the greatest act of love the earth has ever known. His goodness wasn’t a one-time act, however; it has always been God’s desire to bless mankind and bring good things into our lives.
You can have full confidence that God is not behind the bad things that happen in life. Never again believe that God is responsible for bad things, and that he wants to take from you. God loves you, and only wants the best for you. God is for you; He is not against you!