Trusting God and His Word in Tragedies
Scott Walter in his book Life-Rails wrote about the following incident that happened in his life when he was in Philippines along with his missionary parents. His father was a missionary teacher in the Philippines Baptist Seminary. In 1965, when Scott Walker was fourteen years old tragedy struck the missionary family.
One day when he returned from a fishing trip along with his father, he heard the sad news that his grandmother had been diagnosed as having cancer. So immediately he left Philippines along with his mother and sister for the United States leaving his father in Philippines. When he returned to the United States, he found his grandmother very weak and taking radiation treatment. He was unable to understand the brevity and the reality of the transient life.
After five weeks, his mother received an information that his father had a massive heart attack. So Walker went along with his mother and sister to Philippines and found his father very weak and pale. He realised again that his parents would not be with him for ever.
Later, when his father became strong enough to travel he returned back to the United States with his family members. They stayed with their severely ill grandmother. Their doctor advised them to go on a vacation to Colorado. They left as a family. When they stopped in a roadside restaurant, his father had the second heart attack, and died. In November 1965, his grandmother also died. Scott Walker and his mother faced two tragedies in their life one after another within three months. They were shocked but did not break down.
In the night of 31st December 1965, Scott Walker along with his sister and mother reviewed the year. In the midnight as the new year approached, Scott’s mother talked to her children about the difficult journey that they had in 1965. She had lost her mother and husband in that year. With tears in her eyes Scott’s mother quoted from memory St.Paul’s advice to the church at Corinth in the first few minutes of 1966.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor. 10:13
This was the verse that enabled Scott’s mother to go through the two tragedies one after another. Scott remembered his mother repeating this verse again and again many times in the previous year in many trying situations. Scott understood the deep meaning of this verse when he studied it deeply.
The Greek word for ‘temptation’ in this verse is peirasmos which can also be translated as ‘trial’ or ‘test’. So he was able to understand that his tragedies were similar to the tragedies of others and was faithful to help him by providing ‘a way of escape,’ so that he might endure it. The Lord encouraged Scott through the timely words of his loving mother and this verse became the source of encouragement for Scott and his mother when they faced difficult situations and tragedies.
In our life also, we face unexpected tragedies and situations like Scott Walker and his mother. How do we face them? Let us study the life of Job to see how he reacted and responded to the setbacks in his life.
1. Job Endured with Perseverance: “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassions and merciful.” James 5:11
2. Job Looked to the Future Glory: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27
3. Job willingly Accepted the Tragedies: When Job’s wife found fault with him for his faith in God and forsook him, he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we not accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:10
4. Job Believed that it was for his Benefit: “But He knowa the way that I take, when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10.
5. Job trusted God: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job 13:15
Let us learn to trust God with all our heart like Job when faced unexpected events or tragedies. Then God will give us peace that passeth all understanding and direct our paths.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Prov. 3:5,6.