I recently watched a documentary about clergy people who are apostate, who formerly had faith but no longer believe in the supernatural aspect of Christianity - which of course means they no longer believe in God. Some continued to perform their clergy jobs in secret or defiance, others joined humanist or atheist movements, and some missed the fellowship of church life and started Sunday gatherings like church services without reference to God or the Bible. I watched this wary of deception, but curious about what caused their loss of faith.
One idea expressed was this: "If there is a loving God, why would He allow this ________________ (fill in blank with something awful witnessed or experienced) to happen? Since [awful things] happen, I don't believe in God." Their thinking had led them to judge God, rather than the other way around. Some chose a humanist view, believing in the value of fallible but visible humans, while God was blamed or dismissed for not stopping evil as if this were an evil in itself, or proof of non-existence.
I admit that when fears and horrors arise, it can be hard to sense that God is present or responding to prayer. And yet, I've never read a scripture that says "everything will be perfect on earth all the time, and by the good fortune of everyone there, you will know God exists." This is not heaven, it is earth! Rather than disproving God's existence, these actually prove EXACTLY what the Bible talks about - that sin exists. We are warned that man is sinful, and that other unseen evil forces are also at work here encouraging this.
I believe that God has the power to stop whatever He wants to. He created it all, and it is within His ability to end or control it all, or parts of it. Many times, for example, God intervenes and people are guided to safety*, or obstacles stop sinful acts from being carried out.
Other times He does not intervene, and far be it from me to presume to answer why. It could be that a greater good we don't know or appreciate will result from the event, or perhaps that God has built in certain bodily responses during trauma or dying that prevent it from being unbearable and unending, despite being frightening to witness.
I hope fear and disappointment never derail my faith (or yours). I hope that we pray often enough in good times that God's blessings strengthen our faith, so that when challenging times come the gratitude in our spirit does not give up to the doubts in our mind.
* Matthew 2:13 NIV [ The Escape to Egypt ] "When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Psalm 14:1 NIV [ For the director of music. Of David. ] "The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."
