How should Christians respond when God permits crushing events? What if God permitted the death of all your loved ones?
When tragedy occurs
Many, many years ago (1978) there was a plane crash just outside Melbourne, Australia. A man arrived home from work one day to learn that six members of his family died. A plane crashed through the roof of his house killing his wife and children. Aside from the tragedy, what struck me at the time was that my brother lived a short walk from the crash site.
More recently a grieving friend lost his 49 year old cousin to brain cancer. He left a wife and four kids behind. His cousin was someone who had a heart of gold and never hurt anyone. “How is this fair?” my friend asks. Understandably (given the circumstances), he thinks that whoever is running the universe has dropped the ball.
My friend isn’t a Christian, as far as I know; but even believers facing sudden tragedy often struggle to come to terms with why God allows it. I won’t even begin to try to get into the theology as it is well above my pay grade.
Job comes to mind. I own two commentaries on Job and might be able to hold a decent conversation regarding his example. We may think we have a head-knowledge of his story (I don’t). But if his story happened to me, I’d be utterly devastated.
Andrew Bonar (1810-1892) lost his wife, as well as several children and close friends. Bonar continued grieving for them over the years. He (and others of his era) was accustomed to loss and grief and I’m touched by their examples. We can learn from them. They didn’t know why God permitted things, for we are not God. Yet they still trusted Him through the grief.
Tim Challies
More recently we have the example of Tim Challies and the death of his son. As Todd Friel points out in the video below, Challies allowed himself to become transparent after his grief. He confesses his faults and admits to being afraid that God could choose to also take his wife.
In a very personal way, Challies learned the fear of God’s sovereignty. But there’s more to it than that. You see, Challies still loves God and trusts Him, because God is good. Challies’ transparency may help us in our current circumstances.
Below is a list of Tim Challies’ blog article links which might be helpful. I thank him for his openness and godly insights.
Grief Should Always Make Us Better
How We Worshipped in Our Grief
Pleasing Grief and Mournful Joy
The Song I Sing in the Darkness
What Can God Do With Broken Hearts?
Todd Friel on Tim Challies: Shocking Admission
Maranatha!
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