Finding Faith ... in knowing that God does act even during the chaos

EDITOR'S NOTE: In October 2021 I began a new venture writing a newspaper column titled "Finding Faith" for the Forum Communications Co. network of newspapers and websites. I was asked to contribute to the company's ongoing conversation about faith, lending a Lutheran and fairly ecumenical approach to the discussion. The column was published in several of the company's papers and websites, including The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. This column originally appeared as a "Finding Faith" column on July 28, 2023.

The Rev. Devlyn Brooks at his home church, Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn.

By The Rev. Devlyn Brooks

One of the most difficult issues faithful people have to wrestle with is: If our supposedly loving God can create the universe, then why does he not prevent the most horrific of evil human acts?

The community in which we live was stunned on July 14 when a gunman intent on inflicting mass carnage was killed by a courageous Fargo police officer whose actions saved untold lives.

Had Officer Zach Robinson not stopped the gunman, the casualties he could have inflicted are unthinkable. I still shudder thinking about it.

Events such as this inspire a critical question: Why does God allow tragedies to happen?

Full transparency: Even as a pastor, I ask this question over and over, again and again.

But I simply do not know why God allows a gunman with unknown intent to gun down an innocent bystander and three police officers, one of whom was killed. Or why seemingly healthy loved ones die unexpectedly in the prime of their lives? Or why children have to suffer? Or why are there incurable terminal diseases?

In recent months, I have been haunted by all of these questions because of personal experiences. And I still don’t have an answer that consoles me. I just know that evil exists, tragedies happen, and that part of being faithful is accepting God doesn’t always prevent either.

Fair or not, this is the truth with which each of us must wrestle as faithful people.

Even knowing that, here are two thoughts that bring me comfort.

First, even in the bleakest moments of our lives, I intrinsically know that if you look hard enough, you will find God at work somewhere in the chaos. I promise; this practice has yet to fail me.

And, second, God promises to work through the brokenness we experience to make something good, gluing back together what evil in this world shatters. Maybe not instantly, but eventually, through the ages, the Creator lovingly uses everything for good.

My favorite song by the band Mercy Me is titled “Even If,” and it addresses this very difficult issue: Why does God allow suffering to happen?

The chorus goes like this:

“I know You're able and I know You can

Save through the fire with Your mighty hand

But even if You don't

My hope is You alone

I know the sorrow, I know the hurt

Would all go away if You'd just say the word

But even if You don't

My hope is You alone”

Faith Family … even in the face of tragedy, God is our hope alone.

While I cannot answer the bigger question of why God doesn’t prevent tragedies -- personal or universal -- I take comfort in knowing that God does act amidst the chaos.

It just may require us to look a little more carefully in some instances to see it. … Amen.

Devlyn Brooks is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and serves Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He also works for Forum Communications Co. He can be reached at devlynbrooks@gmail.com for comments and story ideas.