Where is God in the midst of challenges

The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted the terror attacks in Paris made him “doubt” the presence of God.

Justin Welby said he was left asking why the attacks happened, and where God was in the French victims’ time of need. He said he reacted with “profound sadness” at the events, particularly because he and his wife had lived in Paris.

Ever ask, “God where are you?” What exactly can you count on God for? Certainly even the man of the cloth and even the most revered ones will reach that this stage.

Where Is God in Difficult Times?
That doesn’t mean that those who know God will escape difficult times. They won’t. When a terrorist attack causes suffering and death, those who know God will be involved in that suffering also. But there is a peace and a strength that God’s presence gives. One follower of Jesus Christ put it this way: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.


Reality tells us that we will experience problems in life. However, if we go through them while knowing God, we can react to them with a different perspective and with a strength that is not our own. No problem has the capacity to be insurmountable to God. He is bigger than all the problems that can hit us, and we are not left alone to deal with them.

The absence of Challenges, suffering, atrocities and pain in the world can not solely proof the existence of God. Nor the presence of all evil in our world can it be taken as a defence to proof that God does not care and is not even in existence.

God’s Word tells us, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” And, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”

Jesus Christ told His followers these comforting words: “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.” If you truly turn to God, He will care for you as no one else does, and in a way that no one else can.

The truth of the matter is God is a caring God who is with His creation even in the time the times of trouble. That not mean that He is the creator of evil since He is God in Him there is no darkness.

Jesus was God Himself in human flesh — fully God, but fully man. Most people have heard that He taught, performed miracles, healed the sick. Most people have heard that He was executed on a Cross and rose again. What is less well known is what this was all about.

Did someone say God doesn’t suffer? In Jesus, God suffered. That was why He became one of us — to suffer for us.

Even though He had no sin of His own, Jesus identified with us so completely that He took the burden of our inward brokenness — our sin and sin-sickness — upon Himself. He understands it all, because He bore it all — the whole weight of it, all for us. By dying, He took it to death; by rising, He opened for us a way, through Him, to life.

There was no other way for God to help us. He bore real agony, bled real blood, died real death. On the Cross, even He felt alone. When He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” it was for us (Matthew 27:46).

All this He saw coming from afar, and He accepted it on our behalf. He paid the price that we cannot pay, He bore the burden that we cannot bear. “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened,” He says, “and I will give you rest”(Matthew 11:28).

God is always in the midst of our challenge