We hear that God is always watching and knows what we do before we even do it. It always reminded me of how, as children, we are told: “Santa sees you when you are sleeping, he knows when you are awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good.” It is the same analogy for God. He always knows what we are thinking and what we will do.

It can be confusing for some, but how does God have the knowledge to know what we do? Why does He let bad things happen then? Why do we not all serve God then if He is so powerful?

The simplest answer is that God gave us free will.

The reason we cannot be on the same level as God is that He is omnipotent. Which basically means He has unlimited power.

We are limited to the choices we make; we simply do not know what the right choices in life are, which is why we are sinful by nature. However, God knows what is right or wrong. He wants us to choose Him; if we all followed Him without question, then life would be stagnant, and we would not be able to grow our relationship with Christ.

God made us to be companions; He made us to have flaws and be unique. Again, if we were all the same, then we would have no room to grow as individuals.

If He is so powerful, why does He let bad things happen?

God did not design the world for suffering, but He permits it while working toward ultimate restoration. This does not mean suffering is good — only that God is powerful enough to bring good through it. Faith, in Scripture, is not pretending pain doesn’t exist. It’s trusting God in spite of it.

For example, if someone sins against you, it can cause you pain, while we commonly curse God for letting this happen to us. We do not blame ourselves, even though we are the issue. Death, pain and betrayal are all human nature. We turn away from God because we think He cannot relate to our pain; however, Jesus’ death gave Him the experience to take on human pain, and so we can feel connected to Him. 

He does not let bad things happen because He is not strong enough or does not care for us. He is there with all of us through our suffering.

How is God Omniscience and Omnipresence?

God’s omniscience means that He is fully all‑knowing. He knows us completely, past, present and future. Scripture teaches that God knew us even before we were born, understands every thought before we speak it and remains aware of us beyond this life. Nothing surprises Him, and nothing about us is hidden from Him. This truth can feel overwhelming, but it is also deeply comforting: we are fully known and still fully loved.

God’s omnipresence means that He is present everywhere at all times. There is no place, whether physical, emotional or spiritual, where God is absent. We cannot run from His presence, nor can we fall outside of His care. Through the Holy Spirit, God dwells with and within believers, reminding us that He is not distant or removed but actively involved in our lives.

Together, God’s omniscience and omnipresence show us that we are never alone and never unseen. God knows our struggles, our fears and our needs, and He is with us in every moment. This calls us to humility and trust, acknowledging that while our understanding is limited, God’s wisdom and nearness are constant.

All three of this omni-aspects exist solely in God. We cannot take on any of these aspects as we are human. You may be wondering, why are knowing these aspects important?

It reminds us that we all make mistakes, God is all-powerful, and we can rely on Him at any time. Ignoring the fact that He is omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence is prioritizing your own ego and self, which in turn is considering yourself God, thinking you have all the power in your life, when we in fact do not. Our lives are in His hands.

Knowing this allows us to rest, not in our strength or understanding, but in the perfect power and presence of God.