DEALING WITH PAIN AND PERSONAL TRAGEDY

A lot of painful things happen to people all over the world every single day. A lot of individuals, families and groups encounter tragedies that can sometimes be mind boggling. If one is a Christian, it could even lead to confusion and loss of one's faith in Christ if not properly managed. The reason is simple: people, especially unbelievers will wonder why a Christian should experience such tragedy if he or she is truly serving God.

Have you ever found yourself in such situation where your faith as a Christian was challenged by a personal tragedy or very painful experience? Did it make you feel like abandoning the faith because you felt Jesus or God had abandoned you?

Dear friend, today's post is meant to deal with such issues so as to make Christians understand the cost of discipleship. It is my sincere hope that at the end of this post, Christians would learn to look at such issues in their proper perspective and handle them effectively.

If I must tell you today, anytime you encounter any painful experience as a Christian, satan the great liar and deceiver is usually lurking around the corner with all manner of suggestions to make you take your eyes away from the love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In the Garden of Eden, satan succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve and got them to sin against God and they were punished for it. Since satan and his demons were thrown out of heaven for rebelling against Almighty God, they have been on earth causing confusion and trying to get all of mankind to join them on their journey to eternity in the fire of hell where they are destined by God's righteous judgement.

If as a Christian, you allow a tragic event to distract you from the race to heaven and turn from God, you will have succeeded in making Jesus Christ unhappy and making satan happy because satan knows such person is on the way to joining him if the person dies without true repentance and sincere return to Christ. 

In admonishing His disciples against worrying about earthly possessions, our Lord Jesus says in Matthew 6:31-34, "So do not start worrying:'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes? These are the things the pagans are always concerned about. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 

Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what He requires of you, and He will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings."

No doubt a lot of Christians hold fast to this great teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and give several testimonies of the good things the Lord does for them always. The question now is, did the Lord Jesus say only good things will come the way of Christians? Let us examine Sacred Scripture again to see what the Lord says:

Matthew 10:37-39, "Whoever loves his father or mother more than me is not fit to be my disciple; whoever loves his son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever tries to gain his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it."

I was recently told a story of a fervent Christian lady whose eldest daughter was poisoned two years ago by someone who contested a college leadership position with her and was determined to get rid of her.

After so much prayers and a lot of money spent in treating the poisoned lady, she eventually died. Her mother was so pained by the tragedy that she wanted to abandon the faith. 

Eventually, she was able to reconnect to the love of Jesus Christ and overcome the tragedy and today she tells the story to others passing through painful experiences and tragedies as a way of encouraging them.

This is the type of testimony heaven wants to hear and rejoice because it is a story of victory, healing and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the Christian believer.

Christians should also be encouraged by the story of Joseph son of Jacob, who in spite of being hated by his siblings and sold into slavery, did not abandon God's ways but stood by his respect for God and his master Potiphar whose wife told lies that sent him to jail.

In spite of all these tragedies, he remained faithful and found favour with God even in jail, was eventually released and rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt, a foreign land he initially entered as a slave! He forgave his brothers who caused him such pain but it turned out it was God's will for him to save his people Israel from a severe famine (Genesis 37; Genesis 39-46).

The Word of God tells us in 1 Peter 4:12-19, My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. Rather, be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when His glory is revealed.

Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you. If any of you suffers, it must not be because he is a murderer or a thief or a criminal or a meddler in other people's affairs.

However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don't be ashamed of it, but thank God you bear Christ's name. The time has come for judgement to begin, and God's own people are the first to be judged. If it starts with us, how will it end with those who do not believe the Good News from God? As the scripture says,

"It is difficult for good people to be saved; what, then will become of godless sinners?" So then, those who suffer because it is God's will for them, should by their good actions trust themselves completely to their Creator, who always keeps His promise."

Dear friend, this Scripture passage from Peter captures the essence of this message. If you ever encounter a painful experience or tragedy as a Christian, it is time to turn to God in faith and trust to heal you and help you overcome the challenge, no matter how painful it is.

If you abandon the faith in anger, bitterness and resentment, the Lord will make several efforts to minister to you either personally or through fellow Christians and if you still go ahead to remain obstinate, it would make the Lord really sad and make satan very happy.

Unfortunately, anyone who dies in that state will not make it to heaven no matter what kind of relationship he or she had previously with Jesus because in heaven where God dwells, Jesus dwells and the Holy Spirit dwells, there is no bitterness or resentment or hatred but ONLY love, joy, peace.

Just think about it for a moment, how can one be angry at God and expect after departing this world to go dwell where God is? It can NEVER happen. Rather, we should focus on Christ's immense love for us, who in spite of our sinfulness came to die a shameful death fit for only criminals on the Cross of Calvary, all to save us from ETERNAL damnation in hell fire where satan and his demons are currently torturing lost souls.

Why would one want to abandon God the Father and risk the ETERNAL peace, love and joy of heaven all because of a painful experience or tragedy here on earth? How many years are we spending here on earth compared to ETERNITY in heaven where every pain, sorrow and tears will disappear FOREVER?

Does all this make any meaning to you dear friend? Can you for a brief moment reflect on all I have said even in your pain or tragedy? Have you been looking for the fruit of the womb for years now without success or suffered several miscarriages? It took Abraham  25 good years to get his after God's promise and after the humiliation he and his wife Sarah must have suffered (Genesis 12:1-4; 21:1-7). It also took Isaac his son 20 years to get his sons Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:19-26).

Have you lost a loved one through sickness or accident? I told you above the story of the woman with similar experience who by God's special grace was able to overcome the pain of the tragedy.

Have you or any of your loved ones, relatives, neighbours or friends been involved in a terrible tragedy or painful experience? Remember the pain, suffering and humiliation our Lord Jesus passed through all for us and turn to Him in ABSOLUTE faith, trust and hope to help you overcome.

That is the only way you can make Jesus happy and defeat satan and his evil machinations to trick innocent souls into hell fire, his kingdom. If you have had a painful experience or tragedy and now believe what I have written here, please say this prayer with me:

Dear God, I thank you for a day like this and another opportunity to learn about your love for me in spite of what I am passing through. I thank you for the experience not because it is pleasant but because I now understand that you sent your Son Jesus Christ who also suffered and died for me on the Cross of Calvary to save me from my sins and eternal damnation in hell. I am truly sorry for my anger, bitterness and resentment towards you due to ignorance of your comforting Words in Sacred Scripture.

I offer you all my pain and tragedy in the firm hope, trust and believe that your loving grace will help me overcome and remain in your love forever. Thank you for helping me understand that Salvation and things of heaven are the most important as your Holy Word clearly says. Thank you as I make this prayer knowing you have heard me in Jesus' mighty name, Amen. 

Dear friend, now you have understood how and why it is important to trust the Lord Jesus in any and every situation you experience no matter how tragic or painful. Please reach out and share this message with your loved ones, relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues, acquaintances and all you know truly need this important words of comfort.

God bless you as you do so in Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.