Ultimately, to rely upon the cliché of God being responsible for every action or outcome in life is to deny our human freedom and God’s goodness. As the apostle Paul wrote, God works for good, not for evil. God’s outcomes are not tragic ones, but good ones. God is not the author of death, violence or evil, but He is the Giver of life and peace.
As youth leaders, we know that many teenagers struggle to see the good in life. They wonder how violence in schools, hatred or murder can be linked to a good God. What are the connections? How might we explain them?
As fewer teenagers in this day and age are involved in faith communities or profess any faith at all, we are faced with the remarkable challenge (aka opportunity) of explaining God to the younger generation. How we speak of God—as good, benevolent and helpful—does make a difference. A God who is removed from our sufferings or indifferent to our pain hardly will be attractive to teenagers.
Consider how you would explain God to the seekers in your circle of influence. What might you say? What personal experiences would be helpful? What would you regard as most important to faith?
