Over the next few weeks we will be studying excerpts from my book, “FEAR – PROOF” as we look at how damaging fear can be to the Mental component of our Wheel of Life.
“Real tragedy is the person going through a tragic situation with no belief and trust in God.â€Â ~Jay Meyer
I don’t know about you, but I do not fear death as much as I once did because I believe in Jesus and the gift of eternal life He has given me.
Although the above is truth to me, it still doesn’t help me understand tragedy. I’m like “OK God, I know we are all going to die but why can’t it be a peaceful death on our terms?”
Why does it have to come from the weapon held by a deranged individual? Why does it have to come in the form of a natural disaster? Why does it have to come in the form of a brain tumor or breast cancer? Why does it have to come at the expense of my own mental health issues? Why does it have to come through a bad batch of heroin through a needle? Why does it have to come through a drunk driver? Why does it come because of ONE bad decision? Why do you let me fight cancer and make me feel like I’m cured only to take me away a couple months later? Why? Why? Why?
The devil thrives in tragedies. For it is in tragedy where our human mind begins to say “Why?” to God and, if not firmly planted in our faith, the devil will begin to dig in and try to get us to believe God is the cause of the tragedies, and if He is, we start having thoughts like; “why would you want to believe in a God like that?”
When the devil comes at me with that thought I immediately go back 2000 years and think about what God went through in the form of Jesus. To be whipped, beaten, spit on, kicked, mocked, laughed at and hung on a cross to die so we could gain eternal freedom from our sins?!
When you let your own son experience this torturous and pathetic form of death it has to make me think God does not view death the way we do.
The fact is God beats death every day of the week. When the devil thought he had won on Good Friday through the death of Jesus, God had one more card to play and trumped his butt for eternity a couple days later on Easter.
If you struggle with the “Why’s?” join the crowd, it is only human nature. But if you stay in the “Why’s?” the devil is going to dig in and become your buddy.
Dealing with the “Why’s?” of tragedy requires lots of prayer, the ability to picture eternity, plan for eternity and practice a life of eternity. In essence it is best to always try to have an eternal perspective on all the circumstances in our temporal world. It makes life a little bit easier to handle.
I write from experience.
John 5:24 (NIV), “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.â€
Additional Scripture to read and reflect upon:Â Matthew 5:4, Psalm 147:3, Revelation 21:4
What beliefs, thoughts and actions cause you to struggle with tragedy?
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
