"God's got this." We've heard it in Christian lyrics, been told it by friends during times of hurt, etc. In essence, the phrase wishes to convey God's omnipotence, that no matter what bad stuff that infiltrates our lives, that God ultimately has a plan.
But when we say this phrase, does it help a hurting brother or sister, or do our words have no effect? In this article, we'll explore whether this is a biblical idea, and if so, how to make it a helpful one, rather than feeling like we've said empty words to someone. Let's dive in.
Is it Biblical to Say 'God's Got This'?
It's certainly biblical to say God is all-powerful. Check out the verses below:
Psalm 147:5: "Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure."
Matthew 19:26: "But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Hebrews 1:3: "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
We can also say that the idea that God has a plan for his children falls under the category of biblical accuracy as well.
So God's got this seems to fall under biblical accuracy. We know that he can turn evil things into good (Genesis 50:20) and can use broken circumstances to bring about glory and beauty. So why does "God's got this" rub some people the wrong way? Is it the sentiment itself or how we deliver it? Let's explore some of the reasons, apart from the hyperlinked article, why some Christians may prefer us to say something else.
Why Does 'God's Got This' Rub Some People the Wrong Way?
Don't get me wrong, God does have this. In the midst of a trial right now, I know that he does have it. And many people who pray for me now have told me this. But it doesn't help me a great deal, and I know many believers who would assert the same.
Why?
Because the words themselves, although true, don't really help the situation. The believer probably knows that God's got this.
Let's take a look at an extreme example: Daniel's friends (best known to us as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). In Daniel 3, these three refuse to bow down to an idol set up in the image of the ruler of the Babylonian Empire. The ruler, who rather preferred people bow to him, doesn't take this all too well and decides these men should die in a horrific fiery inferno. Just before he casts them into this, they say the following...
Daniel 3:16-18: "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Verse 17 essentially says "God's got this." But verse 18 brings up a very good point as to the way "God's got this" doesn't really help much in matters.
Because the phrase "God's got this" paints a false picture in our heads that at the end of this trial awaits prosperity, happiness, future spouses, mended relationships, fulfilling jobs, etc. And that doesn't always happen. John the Baptist experienced despair in prison and he later received a beheading (Matthew 14). Jesus does comfort him by assuring him that Jesus is the Messiah, but Jesus doesn't say, "John, look here. God's got this."
That would probably cause John to think he would escape prison and live quite a few more years...which didn't happen.
We can receive assurance that God does have a plan and that his ways are best. But to avoid the danger of depicting God's plan in a false light, or giving people false hopes of prosperity, let's explore some alternative things to do instead of saying, "God's got this."
Other Ways to Comfort Christians
Let's explore alternatives to the phrase, "God's got this."
Be Doers of the Word
A delivery of free groceries to a hurting Christian goes a much longer way than simply stating words of flippant comfort (Matthew 7:9-11). I often get peeved when I hear stories of Christians leaving behind Gospel tracts for restaurant servers but no tip. But imagine the kingdom impact we could do if we left BOTH the tract and a huge tip. We show through our actions that we mean our words.
So we can say, "God's got this," but we also need to follow up with acts of servitude.
Ask How You Can Pray
Prayer goes a very long way. When someone hears about my hurt and tells me they prayed for me, it uplifts my spirits. I know they took the time to lift me up to the Lord. "God's got this" feels more like unasked for advice. And most of the time when we ache, we don't need words of advice. We need someone to wrap their arms around us and say, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Ask How You Can Help
God does "got" this, but he often uses humans as agents to the balm to his hurting people. So if a friend says, "I don't know how I'm going to watch the kids and do job interviews to try and get our family out of the red" offer to babysit for them, etc. Many people may turn down help, but if you see a need, go ahead and fill it. And if you can, do so anonymously, as Jesus recommends (Matthew 6:3).
God does "got" this. He really does. But for now, let's be agents of kindness and comfort, doing our best to help those who hurt.
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Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.