Have you experienced a tragedy in your life? I have. Have you found hope after your tragedy? I have. How long did it take for you to find hope? For me it took about seven years to really have hope. I had some hope right away but I do not believe it was enduring and complete at the beginning and I am not sure it is fully complete even today, some eleven plus years after the tragic death of my wife Laura to suicide. Let me tell you how I find hope after my personal tragedy.
As I write this, I remember my friends who have recently lost friends or family members to Covid-19. I think of people who have lost loved ones to the senseless murders going on in the streets of our major cities. I particularly think of the thousands of people who have lost a friend or a loved one to suicide. I believe that those who commit suicide have ultimately lost all hope. I remember a friend who lost his son to a drunk driver. I remember friends and relatives who have lost a child due to a miscarriage. I think of the people who have lost their jobs over government imposed shut downs and riots that have destroyed their workplace. I think of the loved ones of our soldiers, police officers, and first responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Last week I wrote about being prepared for a tragedy. If you have not experienced a tragedy yet I suggest you read it.
I found hope at least initially in two things after my tragedy. The first and most important is that my God is in control. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.” (ESV) The second was that Laura was in the arms of Jesus and she was perfectly healed. John 5:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (ESV) and Revelations 21:4 says “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (ESV)
However, the real hope I needed to find came about seven and one-half years later. I was at a Men’s Prayer Retreat with my church in Baxter, MN, as we were praying, worshipping and praising God. The Holy Spirit kept drawing me to a particular passage did not fit with what was going on with the group. I initially ignored what the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me several times. Until I finally out of my own frustration cried out what are you trying to tell me. The Holy Spirit impressed upon me that He was pointing it out to me because I DID NOT BELIEVE the passage in question. The passage was James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (ESV) The Holy Spirit rational was that if I really believed that what I was going through was to make me perfect, complete, lacking in nothing that I could count Laura’s death as joy. He was right. So, after reading studying James multiple times after Laura’s death James 1:2-4 hit home and I had joy and hope like I had not had in a long time.
Part of me wishes that you never face tragedy, because I understand the pain. But the other part of me wishes that you will face tragedy so you might come closer to Jesus through your pain. There is a song that has helped me by Laura Story, Blessings. I pray if you are in the midst of grieving and recovering from your tragedy that this has blessed you. If you have not yet experience a tragedy that tis will motivate you to become prepared for a future tragedy.
So, join me in seeking hope after your tragedy. Understand that when we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we have hope after everything that happens to us. He promises us, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV) Then you will be prepared for anything which gives hope. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for my sins and yours as well. It satisfied all my sins from the past, in the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because wisdom shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in choosing Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here.
You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
