Finding the Treasure in our Tragedy

There are many things in life we do not understand. Especially when something tragic happens to the ones we love or even to ourselves. We wrestle with the ideas of why God would allow these tragedies to happen to us. We begin to contemplate if we did something to make God angry or upset and therefore are being punished. Or perhaps we think that there was something more we could have done like pray harder. There are countless of feelings we feel when tragedy or adversity strikes. I have no self help advice today of how to deal with tragedy because frankly, I do not know how to handle it myself. I will leave that to Godly trained professionals. But I do have some insight that has helped me through a recent tragedy. 

     I had some of the same thoughts as above when a friend passed away a few months ago from cancer. My mother-n-law sent me a text with the following quote she had heard from her former pastor's wife, Joy Haney, when Joy's husband passed. She said, "God is too wise to make a mistake and too good to be unkind." As soon as I read the text, I knew that Sister Haney was right. Even though we may never know why tragedy strikes, especially when it strikes those who are so loyal to Him, we have to be reassured that God is too wise and too good to not know what He is doing.  Does this ease the pain of the tragedy or stop the grieving process? Not necessarily. But it does give us hope when all seems lost that God, no matter what happens, is in control. In his goodness and wisdom He knows what He is doing and in our uncertainty we have to hold on to this truth!  

     Recently, it seems that there has been more and more tragedies that have fallen on my family and friends. Maybe I am just older and recognize it more than I used to as a child or teenager. Nonetheless, many tragedies have occurred and are still occurring. In the times when I feel that everything is out of control I have to remind myself of what Sister Haney said. In these times we need to find ourselves on our knees seeking the glory of God and experience his goodness and wisdom.

      There is a song we sing at my church called, No One Higher (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIE2Y14-JqE&sns=em). The song says, "there is no one higher, no one greater, no one like our God, there is none more able, Christ our savior, great and glorious." Sometimes in the midst of tragedy we need to recognize God as higher and greater than our own understanding and He is in complete control of the situation no matter how drastic the situation. 

       Psalms 55:22 says, "cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (ESV) He is there waiting to open His arms to comfort you and to cast your burdens on Him.  I am no councilor on these matters but I hope this insight will bring some encouragement.  What I do know is, I have to trust him and have faith that He is in control of our lives and He will give us the strength to persevere.