Why?

Yesterday, at church this question was the subject title of the sermon.  It was in reference to the recent insanity in Sutherland Springs, very near us.  The question was posed as what a lot of people seem to be asking after something like this happens.  Why do things like this happen, or even more pointed, why does God let things like this happen?  This question never came to mind for me.  I understand the reasons why there is evil in the world.  Those that have their faith shaken may need to grow more in this area.  

Without rehashing the entire sermon, in short this is how I believe it works.  We were all created with free will, we are a free moral agent, free to choose what we do and how we live.  We were designed this way by God.  While we get our nature from God, we have the freewill to chose to follow him and his word, or not.  God wants us to follow him out of love, not out of robotic obedience.  If we didn't follow by our choice, what kind of love would that be?  I think we all know inside that we would choose someone to love us freely than for some other reason.  

Having a free will also means there is the choice to do evil.  The scriptures even state this as in this one example.  It's just one of many, but I think this one sums it up perfectly:

...There is no dread of God before his eyes, for in his own eyes, he flatters himself too much to discover and hate his sin.  The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive; hs has stopped acting wisely and doing good.  Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.  He sets himself on a path that is not good and does not reject evil.  Psa 36 1-4

Unfortunately we have seen several other instances of evil in response to this tragedy.  Like the actor and several others mockingly stating no prayers were needed for those in Sutherland Springs, they were already in church and it didn't help.  This hatred comes from somewhere else not God, it comes from satan.  He has a hold of these hearts.  I pray they will one day turn their lives over to God and save their souls.

With love for you all, Happy Trails