To begin with, you'd have to assume God has control in order to say God made a mistake. You'd have to know whether God was even involved in the mistake. And if God wasn't involved, is God implicated for not taking an action to stop a tragedy.
Philosophers have a field day with this question. Both Judaism and Christianity teach that God does not make mistakes.
God is said to be:
- Omniscient – knows all.
- Omnipotent – can do all.
- Perfect – does not err.
God may appear to humans as though He changes plans, adapts, responds, or regrets — not because He erred, but to express: Justice, compassion, relationship and divine pedagogy (teaching through narrative).
Therefore, if things are going badly, even tragically, it's on us no matter which way we look at it, or it's nobody's fault and we can chalk it up to chance.
This answer is not very reassuring. It doesn't give one confidence that God has our back.
So when our worst nightmare happens, or when our hopes and dreams are shattered, where does that leave us? What are we supposed to think or do when we are so upset or angry at God that we wish to die, that “It is better for me to die than to live?”
That is the point when faith is truly tested. The bible is filled with examples of people in the same situation. People such as Job and Jonah and King David.
Like I said in the beginning, don't expect me to be able to answer the question. God provided the answer. More importantly, God will guide and comfort us through the storms.
Fifteen years ago today, in 2010, on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Mary was at dance when I got the call from her doctor with the news that she had cancer. I asked the doctor, how bad is it? She told me your wife's cancer is very large and it's "very angry."
The surgeon stayed late and squeezed us in the very next day. She gave us important advice. She told us "don't ask why." She said "it is going to be a very long year" and to "take life one day at a time."
The very next day was Thanksgiving. We looked around the room with our children just starting their independent lives. And I thought, we still have a lot to be thankful for.
The answer of what to do when the storms of life hit is:
Genesis 7.7 -- Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
For some, the ark is a prayer closet or their car or walk in the woods surrounded by talls 🌳.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Epilogue:
I almost always add an epilogue. This time I'd rather let you, the reader, pick your own.
