Christian Synergy

When is God's desire vulnerable to man's will?

While discussing spiritual matters with several work colleagues recently, they became exasperated.
If God existed at all, they reasoned, how could he sit back and simply watch the world turn to hell. 
To paraphrase one of their comments, "If I was God and witnessed some of the terrible things done by adults to children, I'd zap them with a million volts."
This primal angst is shared by many. Why doesn't God do more? Why does he seem so detached from the events that befall us? Why does he not take a more active hand in preventing heartache and suffering? Where's the justice?
Can't He appear as a voice in each of our heads or a vision in our thoughts to guide and direct [maybe even force] us in the right direction?
The answer is undoubtedly complex, but would seem to have much to do with an intrinsic aspect of Gods Creation best described by the word SYNERGY.

SYNERGY
The interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects... 

As implausible as it may seem, God appears to have created a place where He is not the only required cog in the machine. Our universe is a place in which he, though integral, is not the overruling puppet master. This world is not a place where his input annuls all others so that imperfections can be corrected at His whim.

Amazingly, it would seem he created a realm in which we have the power to contravene his will; though not without consequence. A place in which our input can work in accord with his to good, or against it to evil. 
However, creations design means that the consequences of such evil will play out.

Therefore, being created in Gods image imbues man with incredible power over the world. A God-given power. A power that each individual can be held accountable for. However, surely it is a power for good only when working in synergy with Gods creative plan. Outside that plan it causes the creation to go askew. We see this everywhere, especially over that which we have the most direct influence; E.g.: the environment, relationships, our health.

That said, God fulfils his role within His creation perfectly; and who are we too say otherwise; after-all it is His creation, not ours. However, inherent in the successful functioning of His creative design is the need for each aspect of His creation to fulfil its own part. Whether that be supporting, nurturing or complimenting other aspects of the creation.
Some of those parts -such as we see in nature- fulfil their roles instinctively, programmatically. 
Mankind is the only part of Gods creation that operates as God does, by their will.
And there lays the problem. For man has presumed that free-will equates to free-to-do-as-they-please... without consequence; and the world is now what it is.
Rather God's purpose in imaging man after himself is that man would aspire to reflect that image, not choose a course opposed to it but in accord to it. Once in accord, the resulting harmony fulfils not only Gods desire, but achieves for man the greatest sense of fulfilment.

Jesus Christ was a good example of one who understood he had free will to trust God, or not. He understood God's great desire for man's best. He also understood that desire was something only accomplished through man's will being surrendered to God. And he, for his part, fulfilled that. Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (John 6:38)