There is no magic here, try as I might. I close my eyes to wish and I wave my pitiful little wand, but everything stays the same. I open my eyes; I see only darkness.

The darkness of lives lost too early.

The darkness of a heart lost in anger.

The darkness of social media, who’s occupants are more worried about winning than about what is right.

The darkness of politicians willing to justify problems for votes.

The darkness of salt rubbed in fresh wounds by uncaring souls.

The darkness of trauma inflicted on the bystander and the brave.

You ask how I can believe in a higher power at a time like this? How can I believe in a God who allows evil?

I can only speak what I know.

~

If God is God, He is other than I am. This means that I will not always understand.

If God is God, He is by definition, the ultimate good. If He is not that, then He is nothing.

If God is God, He will allow the freedom to choose, even if we choose the wrong thing.  

If God is God, He will name evil what it is. He will judge it rightly and eternally.

If God is God, He will comfort and heal the hurting.

If God is God, He will use my pain for some greater purpose rather than just let me hurt.

If God is God, His mercy and love are so great that He will always offer a second chance.

~

Even to me.

Even when I’m so lost in the darkness that I will not look up to see the light.

~~~

I was tempted to not do the flash fiction this week because of the tragedy that my hometown is enduring (see here for full details). But writing this brought me comfort. I tried to not make it theologically specific, I tried to keep it logical. It seems to me that there must be some universal truths about God, and I wanted to remind myself of those things.

I used the “He” pronoun simply because it is my tradition.