When we say that God is almighty, we are proclaiming one of the most ancient and beautiful truths of faith. The word itself comes from the Latin omnipotens, meaning “all-powerful.” It’s the very first title we profess in the Creed: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty.” Many people have asked me what this really means. Does it mean that God can do anything? Or that He controls everything?
To say that God is almighty is not to imagine Him as a distant ruler who bends the universe by sheer force. Rather, it means that His power is perfect love in action. God’s might is not like human power, which can be used to dominate or destroy. His almightiness is the power that creates, sustains, forgives, and redeems. As the Book of Genesis begins, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The very existence of everything—every star, every breath—shows His living strength.
In Scripture, we often see that God’s greatest acts of power are not displays of violence or control, but of mercy. When Jesus calmed the storm, healed the sick, or raised the dead, He revealed that divine power flows through compassion. Saint Paul captures this mystery beautifully: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s almightiness is most clearly seen in the Cross—where His love conquered sin and death through humility.
For us, this truth is deeply personal. To believe in an almighty God is to live in hope. It means we can face fear, suffering, or loss without despair, because nothing is beyond His reach. There is no heart too broken, no sin too great, no night too dark for His saving power. When we pray “Thy will be done,” we entrust ourselves to the One who can bring light out of chaos and life out of death.
May we remember that God’s almightiness is not something to fear, but to rest in. His power is love itself—strong enough to hold the world, yet gentle enough to cradle our hearts.
—Fr. John Matthew
