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“The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need.”  Psalm 23:1 (NLT)

Our local community has experienced tragedy in the last couple of weeks. The pain has been palpable, the hurt heavy, and the grief overwhelming.  There has been no understanding of why things have happened the way they have and the prayers for those left behind have been without ceasing. As a people, we have grieved, lost sleep, encouraged, and promised to walk together, but the marked characteristic of a tragedy is that things will never be the same again.

As we walk into the days ahead, which will turn into months and years, the pain, grief and loss are unbearable, yet it must be carried. Life as we now know it will become the new normal and yet unthinkable pain will be a part of everyday life for so many now.

How do we rectify this with our faith? Can we?

God has given us a choice, as He does. We have little control as to how things in this world occur, yet we have a lot of control as to our response to them. We can choose to trust that there is Someone or Something bigger than us, and His name is God. Even though we would have NEVER allowed things to happen the way they did, we can know that there is a reason, or a plan, whether we will ever be made aware of remains to be seen. We can also choose to say these situations are just wrong or unfair and be angry at an unknown entity, possibly God if you believe in Him, or try to justify how this God or ultimate Being could allow these things to happen.

The loss of our faith is not in the struggle and the questioning, it is when we walk away from the trust. When we decide we know better and begin to distrust the heart of the Father, we are walking on dangerous ground. We may have to hang on for dear life to come to the realization that we are not in charge and there are things that will not only never make sense to us, but they will cause pain every single time we think about them or grieve the loss for the 1,000,000th time. It is always important to remember that these choices do not deviate from the truth that this tragedy is unfair, unimaginable, and so wrong in every sense of the word.

The question is, how will we respond?

As you walk through the darkest of days and the heaviest of storms, what is your choice? Though the answer may not come easily or without wrestling for days and nights, at the end of it, a choice is demanded. Is Jesus Christ your solid rock on which your faith stands on?

Whether you are in the midst of a tragedy or preparing for this life which is promised to be full of pain, choose wisely. Your choice makes all the difference.

“Lord, help us to remember this life is short and we can’t control what happens around us, we can control our response. Help us choose you.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life