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If God were holy, he would wish to make his creatures perfectly holy, and if God were almighty he would be able to do as he wished. But the creatures are not holy. Therefore God lacks either holiness, or power, or both.

These creatures are often conceived by unholy means, live unholy lives, and die in unholy ways. Why?

The Bible asserts that "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy". When Christians say "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart", what do they mean? Do they have the righteousness along with the peace and joy? Have they become perfectly holy? How can there be such joy among those who still sin? Why does God allow joy? Doesn't he care about holiness? Or does he care, but lacks the power to do anything about it?

The preceding paragraphs may seem very strange, yet they are similar to things which C. S. Lewis and many others have asked about pain. I've just switched a few words around by focusing on the paradox of God's omnipotent holiness rather than on the paradox of his omnipotent love. Nicky Gumbel reports that the most common objection to faith is "What about suffering?" We wonder how a loving omnipotent God can allow pain. For Lewis, and others who have wrestled with this issue, the resolution includes some understanding of God's holiness. On the flip side, we could wrestle with how a holy omnipotent God can allow joy! The resolution of this conundrum must, of course, include some understanding of God's love.

Why is "What about suffering?" the most common objection to faith? Is it not because we think we are entitled to be free from suffering? Do we not sense that entitlement because in our pride, we are the center of the universe? Why is the question "What about joy?" hardly ever heard? Is it not because we feel no shame seeking joy without seeking holiness?

Father, we confess that we have not been as concerned with your joy as with our pain. We have lacked appreciation for your love poured out on us that brings us your joy. We have been more concerned with our suffering than yours. "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."