Tragedy

Friday, December 14 is another one of those days that turns our stomachs and breaks our hearts. We have questions we want to ask and we look to make sense of something that is beyond tragic.  People always want to ask and need to ask during these times, where is God? If God is all powerful where is this great God!?! It's the same question the world asked the church after 9/11, after the great hurricanes and tornadoes experienced around the world. It's the same question we ask when we get horrible news. It's the type of question where  we can get our faith stuck, where those of faith struggle with God and those with no belief in God strengthen their stance. After a tragic situation I heard David Platt make a statement that I believe is a foundational promise of scripture. A promise that might not be terribly easy to process in the emotional moments immediately following a tragedy but over time it becomes much easier to process and find God's strength.

In His sovereign design, God ordains sorrowful tragedy to set the stage for surprising triumph.

Many times when we see great tragedy we think we're experiencing the end of the story. However, we want to know, is this going to work out!?! We need to know if Romans 8:28 is true.

Romans 8:28

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

But even with that promise we don't know how certain situations are going to end, we don't see much triumph in the midst of the pain, so we are left with our faith, hoping God's got a word of mercy in those moments. Ultimately having to rest in our faith! Knowing that God has given us faith to sustain our hearts while we wait for His victory in our lives.

I found it an amazing God thing that this tragedy happened on the week of JOY in the advent calendar. We know as a nation that the innocence of Christmas has been ripped away from many this year and for one town and many families Christmas will always remind them of a tragedy! No one expects them or us to find JOY.

When we think of Christmas we love the beauty and innocence of the holiday mixed with the frustration of too many activities, not enough time to keep the house clean, not enough money to get everyone what they want to keep peace and joy in the house... But if you asked Mary what she thought about Christmas, and the birth of God's Son?

No one would have blamed her if she would have solely focused on the tragedy of her marriage falling apart! Her life seems out of control! A life that seemed idyllic by the standards of her culture is being turned upside down! "God, it seems like the more I trust you, the more my life is falling apart."

"Joy! NO WAY! ...in the middle of all that is going on there is no way I could find joy!" If that had been her heart and the words she shouted no one would have blamed her but in the midst of her world being turned upside down...

Luke 1:46-47

And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

How could she declare joy in the midst of these circumstances? Mary's soul was not in a state of confusion or denial... she was declaring the fact that regardless of circumstances or events... her trust in the God would bring her to a place of worship. For Mary and Joseph their joy wasn't in what God had asked them to do; their joy was in God!

Our joy isn't found in what God ask us to do; our joy is found in Him!

Their focus wasn't on the problems created by God's will but on their obedience to carry out God's will! Happiness is circumstance driven but joy is not driven by our circumstances but is driven by our trust in someone greater than our circumstances. Mary didn't fully understand what was happening to her but she was fully convenience that God was greater than her circumstances.

Mary knew the One working through her was greater than what was happening to her.  

The conflict in Mary's life eventually brought life. I don't know what triumph will come from the tragedy of last Friday and no matter what sense we make of it or what good comes from it... families will still be experiencing loss! Pain still hurts; faith is not the absence of pain but the understanding that in Christ I can know that the One working in me is greater than anything that can happen to me.

My prayers are with the families struggling with loss and with the other children trying to process the moment! May God's strength protect and overcome!!!!