Answers in the Midst of Tragedy

Often times when something unspeakable occurs, it is our natural inclination to question the how and the why these tragedies happen. Not only that, the default mechanism in our response to tragedy has a tendency to question where God is and how could God allow such atrocities under the sun. In fact, theologians throughout the centuries have wrestled with the doctrine of theodicy of how a good God can allow evil and suffering. But, without having to get too deep in trying to explain this mystery, I would just remind everyone that when God decided in His own infinite wisdom to create mankind, God did so by giving human beings some of the attributes that exemplify His nature to include His authority, His dominion, and His freedom, which are all divine gifts we enjoy when used in the way God intended His people to use these gifts. Unfortunately, with these attributes, comes the propensity and freedom to choose the contrary. Much of the evil, the sin, and the tragedies committed under the sun is primarily due to mankind’s failure and neglect to do right by their God given gifts, which has been occurring since the beginning of human history.

For example, Adam and Eve chose to go against God in the Garden of Eden. Cain decided to kill Abel out of his own jealousy, and the list goes on and on. Let’s never forget that we live in a world that is still fallen and still plagued by human failure, bad decisions, mechanical malfunctions, death, disease, and people bent on pure evil. Yet, despite God knowing in the very beginning that man would rebel against Him and that they would take advantage of those gifts to serve their own corrupt agendas, instead of just forfeiting creation all together, God still chose out of His mercy to give mankind life knowing that He would further help them by going into a covenant relationship with them, by giving us His Word, by sending His Son, and by equipping us with His Spirit to do right and to be faithful.

For those wondering where God is in the midst of tragedy, remember, right before Cain killed Abel, God confronted him in Genesis 4:7, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” So, even when it appears that God is distant, God’s word reassures us that He’s present and encouraging His creation through His Word to do the right thing. Lastly, for those wondering why God didn’t make a world free from suffering…, well, God could have certainly programmed us like a video game to love him and to be His robots, but this would have been opposite of who He is, a God of Liberty. And even though human history has suffered through some of the most devastating trials known to mankind, the answer in the midst of tragedy is that God remains good because in Him there is an absence of evil.

The answer in the midst of tragedy is that despite the horrors of flight 5342 going down, despite the hostage situation going on in Israel, despite the devastating fires sweeping through California, God is still with us, the earth and all of its beauty still remains, and God sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ during the most barbaric period of human history, the Roman empire to be crucified on the cross that serves as the greatest reminder that God can relate to human suffering. The answer in the midst of tragedy is to draw closer to the One who has no evil in Him. The answer in the midst of tragedy is to understand that life is but a vapor, don’t take it for granted. The answer in the midst of tragedy is to never lose sight of the fallenness of the world along with the fallenness of the systems we rely upon. And the answer in the midst of tragedy is that none of us deserved the life that we do have, but here we are! So, let us thank God for it, let us draw closer to Him, but don’t wait to do it when tragedy strikes, make drawing closer to God a regular habit throughout the remainder of your life, because with everything going on in the world right now, who else do you have to look up to, to give you hope, to give you answers, and to give you strength in the midst of tragedy???? James 4:7 says, “Draw nearer unto God and He will draw near unto you.”