By Guest Writer
God has unlimited power over all things at all times. However, He does not act contrary to His nature.
“Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”
This question has a clear, straightforward answer: No. Nothing is impossible with God. His omnipotence, His all-powerfulness, is perhaps one of the first things we learn about Him. It can also be a spiritual stumbling block for human understanding, in things both trivial and serious.
Along these lines, you may have heard some form of this brain-teaser: “If God can do all things, is it possible for God to create a rock that is too big for Him to lift?” It’s a question that suspends normal logic in an attempt to stump us, but as C. S. Lewis reminds us in his book The Problem of Pain, “Nonsense remains nonsense, even when we talk it about God.”
In more serious matters—in times of grief, struggle, and loss—we wonder, Where is God in the midst of my pain? How could He let this happen? Like the disciples, we cry out, “Don’t you care…?” (Mark 4:38). We echo Martha’s sentiments from John 11, saying, “Master, if only you had been here…” (v.21). When we read these stories, we see them met with near-immediate fixes at the hand of Jesus. But we also know that God does not always stop the storm or raise the dead when we think He should. If God is able to do all things, why doesn’t He “fix” all things, already? Why let hard things happen in the first place?
God holds power over all things, governs all things, and by Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). And that power, that impenetrable grip on the cosmos, sustains us through every wind and wave that comes our way, whether or not we remain on our feet. In time, we begin to understand His omnipotence in light of His other attributes. God can do anything, but He does not act against His own character or nature: His goodness and justice, His mercy and love.
While His omnipotence is a certain terror to those who oppose Him, it is a resounding comfort to His children; God is good and promises good to those who love Him. Nothing is impossible for Him, and nothing can prevent Him from achieving His good will.
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