Tragedy leaves us overcome with grief. How can we keep standing, praising, and trusting? Is God even there? Does He even listen to our cries?
There was another school shooting. It rocks me to my core every time I hear about children in school not being safe. As a teacher, and mother, I know that this is my worst nightmare.
I remember Columbine. God has had miracles come from that tragedy. At one school where I taught, we took part in Rachel’s Challenge.
I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.
Rachel Scott, victim of Columbine High School massacre
Her family loved her and remembers her by trying to stop people from being left out, bullied or ostracized in the hopes that they never feel the need to pick up a gun and kill.
I remember Virginia Tech. There are now much better warning systems on all college campuses to alert students to danger. And as the mother of a college student I am grateful for that.
I remember Sandy Hook. There are not enough tears to cry for that senseless act. The babies that died that day and the adults who shielded as many as they could will forever haunt my dreams. But that community came together and supported each other in such amazing ways.
Now I have to say I remember Parkland, Florida.
So where is God in the middle of all this madness? Does he really want his children to suffer? He has to be here somewhere. He has to have a hand in this somehow. After all, He promised he would never abandon us. We cry out, “BUT WHERE IS HE?”
Grief and Praise
In times like this I return to Job. Everything was taken from him within a few moments. His servants and sons dead. His livestock stolen or killed. And what does Job do…he grieves and praises God.
When Job heard this, he got up, tore his clothes and shaved his head to show his sadness. Then he fell to the ground to bow down before God and said, ‘When I was born into this world, I was naked and had nothing. When I die and leave this world, I will be naked and have nothing. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord!
Job 1:20-21, ERV
Horrible things happen. God doesn’t always intercede. I can’t tell you why. I just know that there is never a moment when He isn’t with us.
Standing Through Tragedy
As the story of Job continues we see that Satan is telling God that humans will not stand with him when tragedy strikes. They will turn their backs and blasphemy His name. But God has faith in his children and tells Satan to do his worst, but to spare Job’s life.
Satan put sores all over poor Job, he was grieving, he was in physical pain, he sat in ashes and used broken pottery to scratch at the sores. But his friends came and sat with him to offer comfort.
Then they sat on the ground with Job for seven days and seven nights. They didn’t say a word, because they saw he was in so much pain.
Job 2:13, ERV
Job does cry out eventually. He begs God to end his torment and let him die. He questions God, “Why was I even born if this is what You had planned for me?”
How many times have we done that? Questioned our Creator? I fully admit to asking him “Why?” and being angry when I didn’t get an answer.
Are You There God?
Most of Job’s friends and family weren’t much better. His wife tells him to curse God. His friends say he has to have been up to no good. They thought, “God is paying you back.”
Not true. God is there in the tragedy holding our hands, lifting us up if we let Him, but never pushing us down. He can use these times, just like He did with Job to show us how He is always there. We must trust in Him to see us through.
Job is blessed to have a great friend who will speak truth to him and who loves God wholeheartedly. Elihu tells Job, you are not innocent, no one is. But he tells the friends they can’t accuse someone of something when they have no knowledge of it. They cannot blame God.
Job, God is not only powerful, but he is fair.
Job 34:17, ERV
He does not respect leaders more than other people. And he does not respect the rich more than the poor. God made everyone. Any of us can die suddenly, in the middle of the night. Anyone can get sick and pass away.
Job 34:19-20, ERV
The Answer to Every Question
God, Himself, then enters the picture. He reminds Job that He is the creator. He has made everything, and everything exists because of God. God then tells the story of Leviathan in Job 41. If we see Leviathan as Satan we can see that God is telling us that only He can control Satan. He is a deadly enemy and we must arm ourselves with God and His Word. Only with His help can we escape the clutches of Satan.
Job and his friends repent and pray to God. God forgives them.
When these moments of tragedy happen we can’t rage against God or blame Him. God loves us. He is our Father and Creator. Find a friend who can help you seek truth and God. We all know that evil exists. Bad stuff happens, but faithfully accepting that our Father is there in the tragedy will help ease the suffering.
...faithfully accepting that our Father is there in the tragedy will help ease the suffering. Click To Tweet
Facing God’s Truth
Now here is the hard part about tragedy. We have to acknowledge if we played a part in it. This could be a blind eye that was turned, a cultural norm that goes against God that we have let slip by, a friend we weren’t true to, or a warning we ignored. Yes, there are times we didn’t play a part, but just as often we are complicit because we let society dictate its own mores. Humans are weak and flawed. God is not. We have to be the friend who stands up and tells the truth, no matter the consequences because we know that God speaks through truth.
Dear God,
Please open our eyes to Your Word. Help us align ourselves with You and put more faith in You than in the world. Let us be leaders of the Light of truth that comes from being Your followers. Thank You for guiding us through tragedy and never leaving our side. Give us the courage and wisdom to speak Your will.
Love,
me
Are you facing your own tragedy?
We would love to offer our support by praying with and for you.
If you have found this inspiring, share the encouragement…
“Job does cry out eventually. He begs God to end his torment and let him die. He questions God, ‘Why was I even born if this is what You had planned for me?’” I know a lot of people crying out this very thing right now.
I have called out like this myself. I’m thankful for a savior who carried me through the dark days.
On a daily basis I’m working with clients who have endured horrendous trauma. I am reminded of the evil in our world and how often free will plays a part and chooses that evil. But I remind myself of God’s goodness and grace and how He is capable of using all of this for His glory.
Elihu is one of the unsung heroes of the bible. He embodies true friendship whenever everyone else got it so wrong. I agree while we may not be the one who committed the heinous act ourselves if we let someone who exhibits these signs slip through our hands and do nothing we share in the guilt to a degree. Thank you for speaking up for all those who found themselves in a situation that was out of their control. Part of being an ambassador in Christ and bearing His name is loving others how he did right where they were at.
We can’t answer the “whys” of God but we can be firm in faith that He is God and He is good at being God.
Someday I think it will make sense and we will see what danger He kept from us and the good that He brought out of the horrific times.
I love the verse you shared. The idea that we have to give back to God whatever He has placed in our hands is such a hard but helpful idea!