God Can’t {A Book a Day 12}

I ask you to do something for me. You’d like to do it.

But you don’t do it. Not because you don’t want to, but because you can’t. 

I wouldn’t be upset. We all understand that. There are lots of things we wish we could do, but we can’t, for all kinds of reasons.

But what about God? There are lots of things I wish God would do for me. If I pray and ask God for something healthy and good, but it doesn’t happen, should I just make excuses for God? . . . Oh, God was probably too busy, or God knew that wasn’t for my good, or it’s probably my own fault it didn’t happen.

Or should I sometimes reevaluate what I’m asking of God?

Maybe, just maybe, what I’m asking from God is something God never promised could be done?

While we talk a lot about things God can do, we don’t often talk about things God can’t do.

Consider some of the things listed in scripture that God can’t do:

  • God can’t lie (Numbers 23:19)
  • God can’t be unfaithful to himself (2 Timothy 2:13)
  • God can’t tempt or be tempted with evil (James 1:13)
  • God can’t not love (1 John 4:16)

I imagine every believer could create a varied list of things they think God can and can’t do, based on their specific interpretation of the Bible and their individual experiences and understanding of God.

Because of this lack of agreement among us (who can explain with total certainty the mind and ways of God???), I find books like this one by theologian Thomas Jay Oord fascinating to think about. In God Can’t: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils, Oord goes in depth about this topic.

If you, too, like to be challenged in your thoughts of God, especially in light of hard things you experience or see others go through, read how Oord addresses the problem of suffering and God’s love, then come to your own conclusions (although continue to remain open to change).

Because even though we say, “It never hurts to ask God,” sometimes it ruins a person’s faith if what they repeatedly ask for could never come true.

But it might make them love God even more if, based on God’s nature, they could more accurately realign their expectations of what God can or can’t do.

God Can't

I listened to the audiobook so I don’t have quotes to share on this one. But as with all books I recommend, I’ll give my standard disclaimer with this one, too: take what’s true and helpful to you and leave the rest.


You are on Day #12 of the series, A Book a Day {Nonfiction Favorites}.

Each day of February 2023 I’m recommending one book a day from favorite nonfiction books I’ve recently read.

The Table of Contents for all 28 books is here, updated daily.

A Book a Day: Nonfiction Favorites

Previous:
The Light We Carry” {Book 11}

Next:
How to Keep House While Drowning” {Book 13}

5 thoughts on “God Can’t {A Book a Day 12}

  1. Jolene

    As a survivor of spousal abuse, I find this title intriguing. I will have to look it up and check it out. I hope that you have a good weekend.

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