Video Games and the Sovereignty of God

One of thing things that first helped me really understand the issue of the "problem of pain" and God's sovereignty was a change in perspective I was given while playing the Super Nintendo game Actraiser. In it you play a divine being (called the "Master") in a kind of mythological battle with a demonic overlord. Part of the game involves a kind of "Sim City" game where you help your mortal followers build cities and grow food, and generally protect them from evil. Sometimes, however, helping their societies involves taking drastic measures that seem cruel on the outset. At one point I had a large, thriving city of devout followers, but needed to removing a mountain barrier cutting off a critical area. To do so, I had to cause an earthquake. This resulted in the almost complete destruction of the city and the death of most of the inhabitants. As I wiped them out, I felt a tinge of regret at killing my people. Yet it was at this very point that God taught me a lesson using what was a very simple scenario in a game: I considered that if I were God, and these my people, and if we assume a Christian afterlife, although the people below do not understand what is happening to them or why, I, looking down from above, see a bigger picture; I am not casting them out, I am bringing them to myself, where they will live in bliss forever, and meanwhile setting the stage for grander things on Earth. The people below, they will understand in time when they too come to be with me.

Now although you can accuse me of becoming over-involved in the course of the gameplay, it wasn't really about me justifying my actions in a game...it was the parallel, simplistic though it may be, that helped me to realize that sometimes things God may allow, or do, seem senseless and cruel to us down here, but if we could only glimpse things, for one moment, from God's perspective, our entire outlook would surely be changed and we would recognize that God does what is necessary and what is good, even when we do not understand the good He is accomplishing. I do not know why people have to die, or disasters have to take place. I know that the fault lies with sin, and our own guilt, but that God is gracious and merciful. I do not know why people go to Hell while God saves others, but I know that whatever happens, God "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28).

I have no issue with the doctrine of God's complete sovereignty, with the idea that it is God who initiates our salvation, that He raises some up for glory, while others He purposes for wrath (Romans 9:17-20). I don't understand how it all works out, but I believe it, accept it, and I know that there is a good purpose behind it all.