Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.–Psalm 34:19
David Jeremiah wrote,”Act of God” is a legal term that appears in contracts. It refers to events that are beyond human control such as natural disasters, illnesses, and other events. In other words, when bad things happen, God gets blamed. Even when God is not blamed for causing a disaster, He is blamed for not preventing it.
What’s missing in this discussion is a biblical understanding of God’s economy and the nature of a fallen world system. Bad things happen because of sin — a curse extended even to planet earth (Genesis 2:17-19). The whole world is laboring under the burden of sin, longing to be set free (Romans 8:19-22). God is not sitting idly by watching bad things happen. Rather, He allows sin to run its course as part of His demonstration of the need for repentance. God’s righteousness stands in stark contrast to the darkness in a fallen world (Psalm 19:7-11; Romans 1:19-20).
When you experience difficulties, resist the temptation to blame God. Instead, depend on the “acts of God” that Scripture verifies — His deliverance and compassion for those who trust in Him.”
Jesus treats wars and natural disasters not as agenda items in a discussion of the mysterious ways of God, but as incentives to repentance.–D. A. Carson
