What do people mean when they say, "God is in control"?

Question

Consider the following:

Killings at high schools
Cancer
Hurricanes

Does God cause these things? Is that what it means? Or, does he merely allow things to happen...like a father allowing his child to cross the street even though he knows that he/she may get hit by a car? Is the parent still ultimately in control of the potential outcome?

Any insights would be welcomed.

It is going to be difficult awarding the Best Answer "award" to this question because there are several answers that I like for different reasons. Each person has to answer this question for themselves since no one knows exactly what other people mean when they use this expression.

Answer 1

They mean exactly that. God is in control, even if we can't understand how He possibly could be. I don't even understand how He possibly could be, with all the stuff that goes on in the world, but when you believe in Jesus it's all or nothing, so i choose to believe by faith that He is in control.
I can't say what causes these things. None of us really can because we're human, and we just don't know it all, even if we like to think that sometimes.
But have faith - God's plan is the best.
Romans 8:28: "For we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who are called according to their purpose in Him"

Answer 2

Some of these are things God allows to happen. Parents sres responsible for making their children mind and setting consequences for breaking those rukes just like God sets consequences for us when we do not follow the rules. What I bekleive when I say that God is in control is this. I can pray for many or anything but in the end it is the will if God that prevails/ Example. I have been praying for a way out of financial troubles, He has helped but it has not been easy for the last 3 months but basic needs are being met and Payday loans are getting paid off so in the end I will be much more financially secure when this is alll said and done. He answer s but we may not like the answer because sometimes it is no or it is not the easy way out. Take this as a warning stay away from payday loans they can be killers on you financs.I did not start them for fun I needed the extra to pay bills and it has caused hell. i hope this
has helped .

Answer 3

God has the ultimate control over everything that happens.

Mankind has the free will to choose his or her own actions.

Parents, like God, must eventually let their children go - to make their own decisions. It is not the parent's fault if the child chooses to cross the street at the wrong time.

If a parent does not let the child go, then the child cannot go through the process of "growing up". God expects mankind to mature also, but unfortunately, not many people are.

The environment, ways we abuse our bodies like smoking cigarettes, processed foods we eat and other factors cause cancer.

Hurricanes are a result of the natural processes of our planet's climatology and weather.

God allows certain things to happen. We don't currently live in a "perfect world". Someday the world will be restored to a perfect state. This will not be by mankinds' doing but by the return of Jesus Christ who will set everything in order. If you want to be part of the REAL new order then make sure to make Jesus Christ the center of your life, follow after Him, learn His Word and His Ways. Then you will be looking forward to His Return and to His setting things in order just as many millions of other people are.

Answer 4

God is in general control of the universe, and nothing happens that He does not allow to happen. However, many things happen that He does not will to happen. God relinquished control over human behavior when He gave human beings free will and moral capacity, thereby making us in His own image and likeness. Along with the ablity to make moral choices comes total reasponsibilty for the moral choices we make, and for the results of those choices. God does not desire that someone walk into a school and start shooting people. Such a thing is totally and absolutely against His will, but He must allow it because the shooter has free will, and is solely responsible for his own moral decisions. Free will would be utterly meaningless if God said to us "I give you the right to choose between good and evil, but whenever you choose evil I will jump in and make sure nobody gets hurt". What would be the point of choosing good, if choosing evil did no harm?

Answer 5

Most of the time, people blame god for things like school shootings, murders, child kidnappings. They ask how, if God exists, could he allow such horrible things to happen.

Then in the same breath they will state that man is responsible for his own destiny.

That's the problem with free will, that people can make horrible choices. Often they will do anything, after the fact, except take responsibility for what they've done. Terrorists run away or wear masks. School shooters commit suicide. Murderers plead insanity.

I believe that God grieves with us when these horrible things happen. God is in control because he is all-powerful, but in his wisdom he has given us the power of choice. We are accountable for what we do with it.

Answer 6

I think that bad things happen to good people everyday, such as accidents,illnesses and deaths that seem so unexplained and we need to have something to believe in, like a force, like God...to belive in. The power that people have to believe in a greater energy than ourselves it gives us hope that bad situations can improve. When there are natural disasters that is a prime example of energy that is not in any human power...we have no...or very little control over it...death is something that happens to people when its their time...

But then there is the otherhand, where as alot of lives could be saved by human power...with no higher power...with your example of a father letting his child cross a road themselves...well that parent owes it to thier child to teach them to look both ways and never dash out into the road...things like that.
My point is for all of this is that Some situations can be prevented and other situations cannot be.

Answer 7

It means God is in control.

Killing at high schools- God doesn't do it.
Cancer- God doesn't provoke it.
Hurricanes- God doesn't make them

God allows us to fall on our faces just like we allow our kids. We learn more by doing than by listening. We are not very good listeners. The more they say don't do it, the more we do it. You see a sign that says STOP- we GO- Quite a spirit of contradiction, don't you think?

Answer 8

He is in control through the plan of salvation, which has been provided for us all. I do not believe that he controls or is behind all of the terrible things that happen in the world. A loving God would not do things like this if he controlled everything.

Answer 9

The great God of Israel is all wise and knowing,and can't nothing happen without God consent,because even though something bad may happen,he will use that incident or tragedy and turn it for the good,to bring glory to his name,we know that all things work together for good,for those who love God who is called according to his purpose, Romans 8-28

Answer 10

All good and truth is from the Lord. The Lord permits evil as an example so that we know the difference between the good and the bad.

"This only One and very Self is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. This also every Christian acknowledges from his doctrine and every gentile from his religion. In consequence, wherever he is, a man thinks that God is there and that he prays to God at hand; thinking and praying so, men cannot but think that God is everywhere, that is, omnipresent [in all places at all times]; likewise omniscient [all knowing] and omnipotent [all powerful]. Everyone praying to God, therefore, implores Him from the heart to lead him because He can lead him; thus he acknowledges the divine omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence, doing so in turning his face to the Lord; thereupon the truth flows in from the Lord" (Divine Providence n. 157).