Dealing With Tragedy

A few years ago, my wife handed me a letter from the X-ray clinic that said, “Surgery for removal of lump is urgently recommended.” She was obviously distressed and I was stunned at the realization that she could have cancer. Many ask, “Why does God let this happen to those we love?”

Lazarus Died
The story of Lazarus gives some insight into how Jesus dealt with tragedy while on earth (Jn. 11:1-46). When Lazarus was sick his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent a message to Jesus who was a day away from Bethany (Jn. 10:40-42). Although Jesus loved this family, He waited two more days before leaving for Bethany. Rather than rushing, He went in God’s time.

When Jesus and His disciples arrived in Bethany they found that Lazarus had been buried four days ago, and Mary, Martha and their friends were mourning his death. Martha said “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (Jn. 11:21 NIV). This is like saying, “Why did You let this tragedy happen?” Similarly we could ask why God allows sickness or suffering. Is He punishing us? Is He using it to teach us something?

For God’s Glory
If we experience pain, suffering, anguish, anger, tears or sorrow because of sickness, an accident or financial trials, we should not blame God and think, “Why are You punishing me?” Sometimes He allows these things so we examine our lives. Remember Naomi? She lost her husband and two sons and went away from God – she had backslidden so far. There was tragedy and sorrow in her life until she turned around and went back to the place where God wanted her to be (Ruth 1:20-21).

Sometimes God allows such things in our lives so that we will be blessed by the experience we go through, and be brought closer in our relationship with Him. He wants us to be more like Him, and if we can give Him the glory as we go through suffering or tragedy, then we will be.

When Jesus heard about Lazarus He said: “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (Jn. 11:4). This was the real purpose of the sickness. So, death was not the final outcome of the sickness. Instead Jesus would show Himself to be the Messiah by raising Lazarus from the dead. People glorified God because of this mighty miracle.

Jesus used four things as he confronted Martha and Mary and the loss of His friend Lazarus: tears, anger, truth and grace. Let’s look at each.

His Tears
When Mary met Jesus she repeated the words of her sister, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (Jn. 11:32). When Jesus saw her weeping and others wailing with her, He was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled by the suffering which had come into the world as a result of our sin. Then Jesus started to weep as well. It is interesting to note this response even though Jesus had two characteristics that we don’t possess.

First, Jesus is all-knowing; He knew everything about the situation. He knew what had happened and why. He knew that He would soon bring Lazarus back from the dead and turn this sad scene into one of rejoicing. But when we face tragedy, we have no idea what the outcome will be.

Second, Jesus is all-powerful; He has the power to change the situation. But we often feel helpless, especially when faced with the reality of death. Why would Jesus be so overwhelmed with emotion that He cried? The answer is that He is perfect. He will not close His heart to anyone, even for a short while. He will not refuse to enter into our grief.

This shows that we should not try to avoid grief, because it is not a sign of immaturity, weakness or lack of faith. Grief is very real. It hurts and should be expressed, not suppressed. Also, we should support those who grieve by sharing their feelings (Rom. 12:15). When Jesus did this the people said “See, how He loved him” (Jn. 11:36).

His Anger
Another response to suffering or tragedy in this story is anger. The Bible states that Jesus was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” when He saw the people crying (Jn. 11:33). The Greek for this phrase means “to quake with rage.” Then it said Jesus was “deeply moved” as He came to the tomb (Jn. 11:38). The Greek here means “to roar like an animal.” He was angry.

Was Jesus angry because Martha and Mary both asked why He had allowed this to happen? No. Was He angry because his best friend was not around anymore? No. Was He angry because the people were mourning? No. The answer was that He was angry with death! He was angry with the tomb that Lazarus was in. We know this because Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn. 11:25). Amazing! He claimed to be the author of life, God who can raise the dead back to life. Martha said that she believed that this was true (Jn. 11:26-27). Do you agree?

Jesus was about to turn this funeral into a resurrection! He was going to bring out of this tragedy something greater than there was before. And it was going to be for God’s glory (Jn. 11:4).

His Truth
Another response to suffering or tragedy in this story is God’s ministry of truth evident in the resurrection of Lazarus. If you believe that Jesus is the truth (Jn. 14:6) and that His ways are motivated by love, no matter what the circumstance, then you can face anything in life. One truth is that Jesus suffered; not that we might suffer, but that when we do suffer we become more like Him. We cannot control what life brings, but we can control our reaction to what life brings.

The idea that God let September 11, 2001 happen so He could punish America doesn’t make sense. Romans 1:18-32 tells us how man has lived in sin down through the ages as well as today. Nothing has changed. But it’s not just in America. It’s how man is living around the world today. God’s wrath will be meted out to all people in His time – but not yet! When Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life” we need to trust Him.

God doesn’t offer Martha consolation, but resurrection. When something goes wrong, many of us turn to God to be comforted and consoled. That’s OK. But Jesus doesn’t say, “ Trust me and I’ll take away the pain, sorrow, anger and frustration.” Instead He says, “I’m here to give you resurrection and life.” One day He will come back to take us to be with Him forever. He has also promised a new heaven and a new earth. That’s when all the tears, suffering, and death will be gone, and there will be no more sin nor disease. Someone once described it as waking up from a bad dream and realizing that what has occurred in your life was just that – a bad dream!

If you can’t react to the suffering and tragedy that comes into your life God’s way, it will drag you down and away from God. But if you give it to Him, saying, “Lord, show me what You want me to learn through this. Show me how I can be a better Christian, how I can be more like You.” Then your life will be far better.

Near the end of the Lazarus incident, Jesus said to Martha, “‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone ... Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out ... Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in Him” (Jn. 11:40-45). John 11:4 was fulfilled. Lazarus’ sickness didn’t end in death; it was for God’s glory.

His Grace
We have a God who is so committed to ending suffering and death, that He was willing to come into this world and suffer and die Himself. God the Father gave His Son at Calvary. Jesus suffered terribly at the hands of people who hated Him without cause. God knows what suffering is like. If you think that God doesn’t care about your pain and suffering, then think again. Don’t blame Him for what happens in your life. He was willing to suffer and die for you because He cares about you and loves you.

Why does God allow tragedies in our lives? Because He wants to resurrect us, to give us new life, where we’ll be better persons, and God will be glorified through us, and we will become more like Him.

It is God’s grace that has given us the strength to face the future with confidence, no matter what suffering, pain or sorrow may come our way. God’s grace is over all of our life to help us and assure us that we have a hope. No matter what happens to us on this earth, there is the hope of eternal life with Him, a hope that assures us of a future with Him forever.

Our Response
Jesus suffered, not that we might suffer, but that when we do suffer it makes us more like Him. We cannot control what life brings, but we can control our reaction to what life brings. Tragedies are not always God’s punishment for sin – for the unbeliever that comes later. At present God allows people to follow their wicked desires (Rom. 1:24-28). Jesus said of a blind man, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” (Jn. 9:3). Paul rejoiced in suffering because he knew that “suffering produces perseverance” (Rom. 5:3).

So we can rise up out of tragedy, give God the glory and become more like Him. We will be better witnesses because of what we’ve been through. We need to trust completely in Christ and His love, that in every circumstance of life, whether good or bad, we see an opportunity for God’s blessing (Rom. 8:28).

From the story of Lazarus we see the tears Jesus shared with Mary, the truth He gave to Martha, the anger He displayed at the grave and the grace that covers the whole incident. When we face sorrow and tragedy, we need these four things to help us through our suffering and sorrow.

By Peter Beeby