Why Did God Let This Happen?

Yesterday was a horrible day. With a mentally ill young man killing 30 people including 20 kindergartners in an elementary school, many people may be asking the question that gets asked anytime something terrible happens: Why did God let this happen?

Many people, thinking that no loving God could sit back and let this horrible thing happen to such an innocent person/people that surely there is no God at all. They use this point of view as a reason to not have or look for faith.

Let me share with you the first gift he ever gave us. It was the gift of free agency. The gift of choice.  This mortal existence was given to us as a chance to exercise that very gift.

To try to answer the  question of "how can God let terrible things happen to good people?"  in my feeble way I will tell you this. You can not ask God to take over and  be in control of only part of your life or someone elses either. Either you let him have control of all of it, with no chance for making any mistakes (which He will not do) or He gives you all of it.  He is hoping  instead that you will  strive to offer yourself to Him as His vessel for good, exercising the Atonement when you don't quite achieve perfection.  He is a God of Perfection. Perfect Love. He wants us to be perfect, but he knows we can not. by giving us the freedom to make our own choices we risk making some bad ones. (That is where He gave us the Atonement to help us overcome those mistakes).

How will you use that gift of Agency/Choice?  Like many gifts we receive in our life in which,  sometimes we squander them, sometimes we cherish them and hide them away, sometimes we use them till they can't be used anymore.  The gift of making our own choices is just like that. Sometimes we make good choices, sometimes we don't. But the one thing we can't do, is ask God to intervene  on someone else taking away their freedom to choose, while asking him to sit back and let you make your own choices both for good and for bad.

There are so many times everyday I am sure that God watches us in our little lives, and thinks, why did you say that, why did you do that, why didn't you help him/her, why didn't you smile at that stranger on the street? A million choices we didn't make the way God may have wanted us to.

We all know that from a very young age, humans don't like to be told what to do. The first thing a toddler says is NO! and looks right at his mother and breaks her heart. NO, Mama! I do it!  and even though we know a better way, a faster way, we sit back and let them struggle to do it. Resisting the urge to step in and take over requires near super human strength.

Don't you think that is just a small, tiny bit of how God must feel watching us: NO, I DO IT, and then we don't or we fall short.  By demanding to make our own choices: To be happy, to take offence, to forgive or to hold a grudge, to have this career, or go after this goal, to apologize, or to justify, to come closer to God, or to turn away; we  are really asking  God to  let us ALL make our own choices.

He loves us all, and even though it pains him more than we know to watch as we hurt each other (all brothers and sister in God) He lets us exercise that most important, first gift from God, the gift of choice.

Fortifying your Armor: A study of Alma chapter 49

The apostle Paul taught the parable of the Armor of God because there were many Roman soldiers in the land and when the people saw them they could be reminded of how to protect themselves against evil. The scripture is located in

Ephesians 6:11-17: "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

 In the battle against Satan to gain eternal life, we do not need to provide our own Armor. Heavenly Father has provided it for us. He has provided, the word of God, Truth, Righteousness, Salvation and He also provided the Preparation of the Gospel. This comes in part by participation in the youth programs of the church. Author Corrie Tenboom said: “Satan has a good secret service. The MOMENT you step out from under God’s umbrella , you are discovered and attacked by Satan. Recognition of Satan’s attack is ½ the fight. An attacking enemy who is not recognized already has half his battle won! Never knowing where, how and when Satan will attack us. We should never be unprotected. “ So, lets look at the actual Armor the Paul talked about: Shoes: Preparation of the gospel Helmet: Salvation Sword: Spirit or Word of God Breastplate and Loins: Truth and Righteousness Back….Wait… Paul did not mention any protection for the back! What’s up with that? Want to know WHY there’s no protection for the back?

He didn’t provide protection for the back, because God did not expect any deserters! He gave the armor to us not as a museum piece, to be untouched and unused. (I mean what if Batman left his suit, cape and batmobile locked up untouched?) He gave it to us for use on the battle field. If Satan is coming at you, who is behind you to help protect you.

Who’s Got your back covered? As youth we’ve got: Apostles, Bishops, Home teachers, parents, Youth Leaders. They are their to help us in our battles against Satan. The Bishop is your best advocate in this battle. Now, if we’ve gotten ourselves turned around from Christ, and we are battling Satan and our Leaders have our backs covered, and we turn our selves back around towards Christ, who is ahead of us showing us the way? Those same leaders.

 Heavenly Father has provided us with amazing Leaders to show us the way towards Christ and to help us in our battles against Satan. What happens, if you stop attending Church or activities? What if we take offense at something our leaders have asked for us to do? Our Armor weakens, and are back is not nearly as protected. Our leaders may be praying for us, but we have side stepped off of the path of their immediate protection. It is at this moment that Satan will find the unprotected and weak spots in our Armor and attack, in your undefended spot.

 In Alma chapters 48 & 49 we find a great battle plan that shows how the youth programs can prepare us for the battles we face. In Alma Chapter 49 the Lamanites are trying to attack Moroni and the nephites. They think they know all the undefended and weak spots of the Nephites. They are quite surprised to find that the nephites are so well prepared and that their weak spots have been strengthened. The Lamanites are so surprised that they actually retreated!

 The For Strength of Youth is a great way for each of us to look at our weak spots and learn how to strengthen them. Along with Seminary, and the Scriptures it helps us build our battle plan. in chapter 48 vs. 7. Building small forts or places of resort, throwing up the blanks of the earth to enclose the armies against attack: The temples, sacrament and church meetings become our Forts of security .

 In Alma Chapter 49 vs. 15 along with a few other versus we learn that Moroni recognized in advance exactly what his enemies plan of attack would be. He know exactly what and where they would attack first, second etc. He prepared for this attack and everytime he was successful against the Lamanites. We can know in advance of Satans’ attack by reading our own Patriarchal Blessings, getting Priesthood blessings, Studying the For Strength of youth, and listening to the counsel of our Leaders.

 In Vs. 16 we learn that Moroni couldn’t be in all places at once himself and he needed to appoint a chief captain . He appointed Lehi, whom the Lamanites feared exceedingly. This is just like our Bishops and Stake Presidents. Pres. Monson can’t be here with us, so he appointed leaders whom he knows Satan fears exceedingly to help us. We need to follow their counsel, seek their counsel. They have direct inspiration over the battle right here in this ward and stake. Satan fears them and their proper use of the Priesthood Power.


 In Vs 18-21 We find that the strongest men in the city formed a body that was prepared to smite down any attempt by the Lamanites to breach the security of the city. That is our Home teachers, Our youth leaders. At this point the Lamanites were getting pretty desparate. They decided to try to tear down the reserves for the Nephites. Satan tries to tear down our reserves too. By tearing down our self worth, and fill ilt with despair, discouragement. The youth programs of the church do the perfect job of reminding us of our divine nature, our individual worth, and that we are Children of God.

 In Verse 27, we see that the King over the Lamanites was very angy. He swore to kill Moroni. He actually swore to drink his blood. How must Satan feel about our Prophet today? We know how hard he worked against Joseph Smith, I'm sure he's working just as hard now. How hard is fighting against the apostles, our Stake President, Or Bishop? We need to sincerely pray for the continued strength of our leaders.