Whose Responsibility is It?

Have you ever wondered how and to what extent God is really in charge?

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and years ago, right after I got out of the hospital with a broken neck, I kept pushing the replay button on my dive off the raft. I kept wondering, where was God when it happened? I mean, like, when I took that dive, did he take a “hands off” approach and allow me to take that stupid dive of my own free will? Did Satan go before God to ask permission to shove me off the raft? Did the devil then have to twist God’s arm until he cried “Uncle?” Or maybe God himself pushed me off that raft as he held back protecting angels. Back then, the sovereignty of God felt scary.

Then a friend showed me Lamentations 3:32-33 where it says, “For if [God] causes grief, then he will have compassion according to his abundant lovingkindness. For he does not afflict willingly or grieve the sons of men.” Wow. In the span of two short verses, God causes grief, yet he does not willingly cause grief. So, which is it? Well, we know for sure that God is completely in control; it says “he causes grief.” He’s even in control when young girls break their necks.

But, does it mean God took delight in my injury? Was he happy about me taking that dive off the raft? Of course not. He may work “all things” together for my good, but that does not mean a broken neck is, in itself, good. When young girls break their necks, God weeps, for as that verse in Lamentations says, “[God] does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.” Friend, he permits awful things to occur, but it gives him no pleasure.

When all this started to sink in, when I began to understand God’s heart, I began to take great comfort in his sovereignty. From then on out, whenever I pushed the replay button on my dive off that raft, I could ask myself, “Was my diving accident God’s fault?” And I’d be assured that although he is sovereign, God is not to be blamed. After all, he allows all sorts of awful things to happen that he doesn’t approve of. Or I might ask, “Was my diving accident an assault from the devil?” Yeah, perhaps, for God often allows the devil to do what he would never do himself. As in the case of Job. Or I might ask, “Was my accident the consequence of living in a fallen world and not the direct assault of either the devil or God?” Possibly so, for as I said, the world is terribly broken. Whatever scenario played out in the heavenlies that fateful day that I took my dive – the scenario does not matter. What does matter is that I can trust God. Why is that? Well, when it comes to his sovereignty, he has proved himself utterly trustworthy. After all, if he sent his own precious Son Jesus to die for me, then he has shown himself totally reliable, totally dependable when it comes to the awful things that he allows. I am safe because God’s wise and good decrees overarch absolutely everything.

I share all this today because this weekend we’ll be celebrating the Sanctity of Life. And it’s a celebration because God considers life dear and precious. Even if that life involves a broken neck and paralysis. Because there are simply more important things in life than walking, says the lady in the wheelchair. So, if you haven’t already done so, do a study of Lamentations chapter 3. Because you never know when you might find yourself pushing the replay button on a deep disappointment or affliction in your own life. Trusting that these words help you today, because at Joni and Friends we loving sharing hope through every hardship.

© Joni and Friends