God Is in Control
What I’m about to say may not be easy to hear—but it is the truth:
God is in control.
You may ask, “Over what?”
Everything.
Yes, everything.
God is sovereign. He holds the universe in His hands and reigns with unmatched power and wisdom. That includes all things visible and invisible, good and evil, natural and supernatural. Nothing escapes His knowledge. Nothing operates outside of His ultimate authority.
Wrestling with the Hard Questions
Recently, I invited a childhood friend to visit my church. Her response was one I didn’t expect:
“I’m really having trouble with my faith.”
Surprised, I asked her what she meant. I’ve known her for nearly 40 years—and throughout that time, I’ve known her to be a strong believer. Her father, in fact, was one of the most influential people in my teenage years when it came to shaping my faith. He was a kind, wise man of God who could sit for hours, simply sharing the goodness and depth of God’s Word with me.
She paused and then replied:
“I just don’t understand babies getting sexually assaulted and stuff like that. It doesn’t seem fair.”
And you know what? She’s right. It doesn’t seem fair. And I told her:
“I wouldn’t consider you a decent human being if you did think that kind of behavior was fair.”
I couldn’t offer her a perfect explanation, because some things remain a mystery. But I reminded her of this one unchanging truth:
God is in control. And even when life seems unfair, God Himself is always fair, just, and righteous.
God’s Sovereignty Includes What He Allows
It’s difficult to reconcile the presence of evil with the power of a good God. But Scripture shows us that God, in His sovereignty, sometimes withdraws His protection or allows hardship as a consequence of disobedience or to fulfill a greater purpose that we cannot yet see.
Take King Saul for example. The Bible doesn’t say God created an evil spirit to torment Saul. Instead, it reveals that God allowed it after Saul persistently rejected His commands.
“Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.”
— 1 Samuel 16:14
God didn’t create the evil spirit—but He allowed it. Why? Because He is sovereign, even over the forces of darkness.
Evil spirits, tormenting spirits, unclean spirits—they are agents of Satan. But make no mistake: God has ultimate control over all spiritual forces, and even when He allows the enemy to move, it is only within the boundaries God sets. The devil does nothing outside of God’s permission. And when God permits, it is never without purpose.
A God Who Loves Deeply
This can be hard to digest, especially in a world filled with pain, injustice, and unanswered questions. But here’s what we must never forget:
God loves us.
He cares for us.
And He wants what is best for us.
Even when we don’t understand His ways, we can trust His heart. He is not blind to suffering. He is not absent in tragedy. He is not indifferent to injustice. God sees. God knows. And ultimately, God will make all things right.
Trusting When It Doesn’t Make Sense
There are things I may never understand this side of heaven. But I choose to trust the One who does. I choose to believe in a God who is not out of control, but very much in control—even when the world seems otherwise.
So if you’re struggling to make sense of what you see, hold onto this truth:
God is still in control.
He hasn’t stepped off the throne.
He hasn’t turned a blind eye.
He hasn’t abandoned His people.
He’s working. He’s watching. He’s ruling.
And in due time, His justice will prevail, His glory will be revealed, and His love will be undeniable.
