When Tragedy Strikes

It has taken me a few days to fully take in the events that took place in Newtown on Friday. Not just for myself but for my children who where shocked an saddened by the news, to the point of tears.

I realize when tragedy strikes we as outsiders looking in have a few options. First we can choose to ignore it all together, choose not to look at the pictures or watch the news, to disconnect altogether so that we don’t feel the hurt and heartache in the reality of the situation. Second we can be overcome by the situation. We can look and listen and watch everything we can about the beautiful innocent babies who were taken and the heroic teachers whose lives were tragically cut short.

I am embarrassed to say that normally I would choose option one because option two would hurt entirely too much. In most cases in my life when I am faced with difficulty my natural instincts are to turn it off, not to feel, to put it out of my mind so I can continue on with my life, being unaffected by the pain it will cause.

Friday started out no different after I heard the news, I made a conscious choice not to think about it. Not to think about my own kids in their school, not to think about how easily it could happen anywhere, even in my town. As quickly as I followed my natural instincts the Holy Spirit convicted my heart with a third option.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

The third option is to pray. So that is what I did on Friday. I sat at my kitchen table and I prayed that the Prince of Peace would show up in this nation. I prayed and wept for each person affected by this tragedy and mostly I prayed that through this tragedy somehow God would be glorified. Somehow through the stories of bravery and love that the Spirit of God would turn what is so dark and so evil into something that in the end brings life and love to a hurting community and nation.

A friend of mine posted this picture and scripture and it was perfect….

The scripture was exactly what I was looking for, in our sorrow we need the spirit of God to offer strength so that we don’t get locked into fear and hate, if we do then evil triumphs. Feeling too much without turning to God in prayer is not the answer and choosing to feel nothing so that the hurt doesn’t take over our lives is not the answer either. Because the Spirit of compassion and love lives on the inside of me I have the answer to this tragedy.

The answer is Jesus. The answer is Jesus.

So in an effort to do my part I will continue to pray for Newtown and to pray for our nation long after the cameras have left and the news has died down and people begin to go on with their lives as is only natural. For all the mommies and daddies, for all the brothers and sisters and friends and neighbors who are hurting this holiday season, we must pray.