Believers Guide To When Tragedy Strike

Scripture

Psalms 46:1 GW

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

When the Unthinkable Happens

There’s no limit to who can experience tragedy. Sooner or later, every person will be faced with the sadness and difficulty associated with sudden traumatic events that change life forever. These traumatic events will come in many different shapes and sizes and will impact individuals, families, cities, nations, and our entire world.

Most of the time, tragic events aren’t something for which we plan. We don’t arrange ahead of time to face these sudden “crisis” moments. But whether we’re prepared or not, tragedies will come and go in our lives—and they’ll almost always occur with devastating abruptness. We get the phone call about the auto accident; we hear of the heart attack; we catch the ongoing loop on the evening news of the viral pandemic sweeping the globe.

In moments of tragedy and crisis, there’s no better place to turn than to our God, who has promised to help those who turn to Him in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1). When the unthinkable happens, it’s time for us to look to the Father and ask Him for words of comfort and strength and for direction on how we should respond and proceed.

We can search Scripture and find many of God’s saints who’ve known times of great trouble and difficulty as they journeyed through life. Consider David, the psalmist of Israel. Though he was anointed and chosen to be king, he found himself hated and hunted by those who sought to destroy him. In Psalm 27:1-3, however, notice that he says while in the midst of trouble: 

The LORD is the light of my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers come upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war rise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident. 

These are the words of a man who learned to be sustained by God during the most difficult and trying times in his life. In the midst of tragedy, he learned he didn’t need to live in fear, because God was his defense. Though he found himself in trying times, he could be fully confident that God would protect and uphold him. 

We have the same hope as David because God has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6). We also have hope because we’re not alone—not only do we have God, He’s also given us each other. This is our strength—a united spirit gaining confidence and determination together but, more importantly, learning to rely on God together.

As we move forward through the difficulties in life, we have an important decision to make: How should we respond? Our response to tragedy, whether it’s personal and limiting in effect or an all-encompassing, worldwide crisis, should be the same: Turn to the Father, lead with compassion and concern for others, live fearlessly, remember who’s in control, and discover the good. 

2.)Scripture

2 Corinthians 1:3‭-‬5 GW

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the Father who is compassionate and the God who gives comfort. He comforts us whenever we suffer. That is why whenever other people suffer, we are able to comfort them by using the same comfort we have received from God. Because Christ suffered so much for us, we can receive so much comfort from him.

Lead With Compassion & Concern

How should we respond when, like a bolt out of the blue, our cherished ideals, family’s safety, future security, and all other dreams of life for which we’ve labored and invested are suddenly threatened? As I pondered and prayed about this question, it became clear to me that there are some answers.

First, we should respond with compassion and concern for those who’re suffering and for those who’re hurting. Since the advent of television, we’re no longer onlookers or passersby. We’ve become part of ongoing events, players in the action. This medium is able to affect us deeply and ignite compassion in us as we see how others in our world are suffering. But there must be a greater role for us to play than that of being deeply touched by what we see and hear on the airwaves. 

What is our responsibility? 

When we go through adversity, it’s reassuring to have someone there to walk with us. It’s comforting to know our God is “the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3-5), who’s promised never to leave us or forsake us. One of the things we can do in the midst of a tragic circumstance is to reach out to others with compassion and understanding—to walk with those in need and to comfort them (Matt. 5:4). We need to reach out to others in troubling times. Compassionate people are those who feel the pain of others and act to help alleviate that pain in whatever way they can. 

But I also want to remind you that as we reach out to comfort others, our greatest source of comfort has been and will always be God. He’s identified with us in our sorrows and pain because His Word teaches us that He is “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). He understands better than we do our unique situations, uncertainties, and fears. And as He comforts us in the difficulties of our lives, we are then able to help comfort others. 

May I say to you who are suffering, who are deeply grieved and hurt over the losses in your lives, that God will be your source of comfort and strength. He grieves with you as you bear the weight of your losses and shares with you in the awful sense of emptiness and helplessness you may feel. Yet in that grief, He doesn’t leave you. He remains by your side, offering you His mercy in the darkest of days because it’s His desire to comfort your heart (2 Cor. 1:4).

3.) Scripture

Isaiah 41:13 GW

I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand and say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid; I will help you.’

Live Fearlessly

There’s a second response that’s also very important: We must be courageous to face any tragedy calmly—with determination and without fear. We’re not a fearful people. We don’t suddenly give up just because something frightens us. Now there may be some of you right now who’re deeply afraid or overwhelmed with fear. If you find yourself in a situation that currently leaves you battling a spirit of fear, let me share with you a verse that God has used over the years to help me face periods when rational and irrational fears threatened my confidence and contentment: 

We have a right to be a godly people who’re fearless. We have a right to be bold and confident for the simple reason that God’s promised to intervene on our behalf. Does that mean that we’ll never suffer consequences? No, it doesn’t. Will we always be free from hardship and adversity? Of course not. Does it mean that tragedy will not touch our lives? Not at all. It means that when we, individually or collectively, stand sovereign under the protection of God, we can be assured that He will not fail us. No matter the disaster we face or the enemy at our gate, with our God, we will be triumphant. 

Do you recall my earlier comments about David? He refused to be ensnared by fear because he was confident that God was with him and would deliver him from the enemies that pursued him. In Psalm 46:1, David says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” This shepherd boy turned king learned how to experience the presence of almighty God in the midst of adversity and tragedy. No matter the circumstance, David’s bottom line was his confident assurance that God was present in his life.

David’s 57th Psalm has also been helpful to me through the years: 

Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by (v. 1).

Perhaps some of you think that because I’m a pastor, I’ve had a life devoid of hardship and tragedy. That couldn’t be further from the truth! On many occasions, in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances, I’ve found myself drawn to these verses as I sought comfort in and assurance from God. And here’s where I anchored to His promise: When our hearts are so empty and our pain so intense, when our hurts run so deep and our grief is overwhelming, we’re to come to the Father in the shadow of His wings and find a refuge “until destruction passes by.”

I’ve found it true in my life that any disastrous tragedy I faced or pain I felt eventually passed me by. Friend, no matter how deeply you hurt, how acute your pain, how hopeless you feel, when you come to your heavenly Father for help, compassion, and love, He will be there for you. He will strengthen you in your fear, and He will carry you through until you’re strong enough to stand on your own again. 

4.)Scripture

Psalms 103:19 GW

The Lord has set his throne in heaven. His kingdom rules everything.

Remember God’s in Control

We’ve noted that our response to tragedy must be with compassion and concern, and we must exercise our faith, courage, and confidence in God, who’s promised to never leave us or forsake us. There’s also a third response. 

It’s natural for those faced with sudden calamity to ask, “God why did you allow this to happen?” This question shouldn’t be ignored but instead faced head on. For those of us who know God as our heavenly Father, we’re not afraid to ask Him hard questions. We know that the clear promises found in His Word and seeking to understand why He permits tragedy is an appropriate response.

There are those, however, who believe we should never ask questions of God. This isn’t biblical. Courageous King David often commented on his inability to understand the ways of God and, at times, was forthright in his probing questions of the Father. We can learn the ways of God by seeking to find His answers to the difficult problems and heartaches we experience. We must never leave God out of the equation. 

Did God know about the difficulty, calamity, or tragedy before it happened to you? Yes, because He’s omniscient and all-knowing (Ps. 139). Did God initiate this calamity or tragedy? No—but He did permit it to happen. If He knew about these things, then why did He allow them to happen? Think carefully about these questions. Scripture teaches us that God’s throne is established in the heavens and His sovereignty rules over all (see Ps. 103:19). Clearly, we’re told that God is in charge, He’s in control. Period. Nothing happens apart from His knowledge, understanding, and power.

But let’s imagine for a moment that God’s not in control. If He’s not, then who is? If the difficulty or tragedy that occurred in your life couldn’t have been stopped by God, then somewhere out there exists something more powerful than God. And that’s simply not the case! Those of us who’re believers are convinced by experience and faith that there’s no power in this universe equal to our God—and we believe He’s in absolute and total control.

Some, however, will still question, “Why did God allow this to happen?” With all the earnestness in my heart, I respond to you by saying: Ask Him. Prayerfully engage Him with your questions and concerns. He’s committed to respond to the open and truthful heart. He’s not afraid of your questions. And He gives honest answers. As you earnestly seek Him, I guarantee He’ll begin to give you the answers to your questions and, at the same time, start to change and transform your life. You may even find yourself asking Him: “What do you want to teach me through this series of events, Lord?” In my experience, God works good out of even the most difficult of circumstances and promises to give comfort and strength to the most sorrowful heart. 

5.) Scripture

Romans 8:28 GW

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.

Discover the Good

There’s another response that I think is so important when we find ourselves in the midst of the unthinkable: I believe we’re to discover the good that God will bring from this calamity or tragedy. 

Some may ask, “How can you even think that anything good could come out of anything tragic?” When we’re felled by tragic events, often we’re so wounded that even the most ordinary tasks seem gargantuan in scope, and the thought that one day things will get back to a degree of normalcy seems incomprehensible.

Deep, emotional scarring can blind us to the possibility that in the future there will be healing and peace for even the most traumatized of souls. But healing does come. For example, I’ve known a man who lost two businesses and the love of many of his family and friends, and for years was living in a semi-permanent state of depression. But with God’s healing, guidance, and blessing, he’s risen out of the ashes of despair and, with family alongside him, has become a beacon of hope to many seeking help in the aftermath of personal tragedy. 

If you were to ask this man how he was able to rebound, I’m sure he’d refer you to Romans 8:28:

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

One of the good things that can come from tragedy is that when we find ourselves in duress, when our moorings are adrift, we find our way back to God. Sometimes in the midst of tragic situations, there’s a greater sense of things eternal than there may have been for a long time in your life. 

God’s eternal plan is to help us all reconnect with Him. He created the world through His unprecedented power and authority. He created human beings and allows us to enjoy His beautiful world. But our sin has led us away from God and continues to push us to do our own thing. As a result, we become more self-reliant and less aware of our need for God. When tragedy comes across our path, we don’t have the resources within ourselves to bring peace to our troubled hearts. This is what opens a window to our souls—a window that our loving Father can access and use to make contact with us again.

No matter how far away from Him you’ve traveled, God still knows, understands, and loves you right where you are. And in the midst of any tragedy you face … and at any point in your life … He can open the window to your heart and change your life forever. All that’s required is your permission. When you give the word, God will use any tragedy you face to bring triumph to your life.