Trajectory Of Tragedy ... And Still Good Things

When the rain comes it seems that everyone has gone away
When the night falls you wonder if you shouldn't find someplace
To run and hide
Escape the pain
But hiding's such a lonely thing to do

When the rain comes you blame it on the things that you have done
When the storm fades you know that rain must fall on everyone
Rest awhile
it'll be alright
No one loves you like I do

I can't stop the rain
From falling down on you again
I can't stop the rain
But I will hold you til it goes away.
 - When The Rain Comes, by Third Day


When something terrible happens, people always ask the same questions: "Why did this happen? How could it have happened? What is the meaning of it?"
If the people asking believe in God, there is the inevitable, "Why does God allow things like this to happen?"

Last week I bumped into a dear friend and we did the whole, "Hi! How are you? I'm good!" exchange, before something shifted and she stopped and said, "Actually, no," and explained why in truth she really wasn't okay. Something had happened involving a friend of hers and it was tragic and heavy. She wanted to be honest and say how she was really doing, and instantly I empathized with that feeling: when something happens we still have to go on with life even with the weight on our backs, and sometimes life catches us up and keeps us busy only to stop and remind us, a kind of cruel honesty, that no, things aren't as okay as they should be. Since that meeting I too became very effected by the tragedy. More things came to light and more people became involved, including people I used to know. It will likely be a long and painful process of sorting out the truth. Truth which so far is very disturbing.

Over the last week, the incident has been heavy on my heart. In particular, it grieves me that because the people involved were and/or claimed to be Christians, that some people are quick to shake their heads, point fingers, and say, "See? All Christians ever do is hurt people."
This untruth hurts deeply. I don't know the true beliefs of those involved, but of course I'm asking the questions above: "Why? How? Where is the sense in it all?" When people who claim to have good intentions do something monstrous, of course it causes others to feel shaken. But as I and others examine the situation with shock and heartache, questing for the terrible truth, I find I have to remind myself of something: step back. Stop using the microscope for a minute and try to see the bigger picture.

When people say that all Christians do is harm, I have to step back and remind myself that anyone could say that of any religion or belief system, and do, all the time. This is one incident with one small group of people. How did it happen? A slow fade. That's what I believe. Saying yes to one lie, one compromise, after another, until the people involved are lost down a dark road that I pray they never meant to go down. We have to be so careful. We have to pull back and try to think how one choice can effect everything else. When something tragic happens, step back from the microscope and remember that this world is fallen and full of sin and that is how terrible things happen, but it is also wonderful and miraculous and that is why so many good things happen too. No human is perfect, of any religion. So weigh out the good with the evil. We may not ever understand all the why's and how's but that is not a reason to loose faith or a reinforcement that faith is bad. "How can a loving God let bad things happen?" A question asked a million times from a million different lips. Because people are self-centered beings with a sin nature who have been given the incredible gift of free will. We are free to chose how we live, and this is a responsibility that is taken far, far too lightly. Instead of weighing out each choice in their lives and seeking for the purpose of their existence, too many people shrug and say, "You only live once,", as though that is an excuse to do whatever they like, no matter the outcome. I'm stepping back and standing firm. I do believe that there is a God who loves us despite the pain, and in fact grieves with us and feels the loss as we never can. I believe that every person is capable of good and evil and that sometimes people can begin with good intentions yet make choices that drift them to a place they shouldn't be. I believe that no religion or belief on earth is perfect because no person on earth is perfect, but that we have to seek the truth and root ourselves in it firmly and uncompromisingly. I believe that there is beauty to be found beside all ugliness. I believe in finding the truth and showing forgiveness. I believe in faith, hope, love, these three, and that the greatest of these, always, is love.