Japan and God’s Goodness
I’m sure I’m not the only one who doesn’t know what to say when a disaster like the one in Japan strikes. I feel so faraway and cocooned from the trauma and tragedy that it feels impossible to even attempt to empathize.
But there are two things that I want to remember:
1) “Those people” are just like me. They were going about their daily lives, thinking about what to eat for dinner, plans for the next day, an argument they had that morning, a party they were going to that night, and then suddenly their world was shaken and submerged.
2) God is good. This year I have been reading a lot about God’s goodness. Some Christians seem to implicitly trust in it without questioning it, while others agonize over the suffering and evil all around us and how we can reconcile that with God’s character. It’s not wrong to ask why things happen, or to mourn, or not to have all the answers. But… the lie that God is not good comes from the pit of hell, through all too many voices in the aftermath of tragedy. He is sovereign and good; His character has not changed.
I hope writing this will help me and you remember to lift up the people of Japan in our prayers.
You’ve shared your thoughts beautifully, thanks.
definitely praying. Here’s something Pastor Piper posted about praying for Japan.
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/a-prayer-for-japan
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Thanks for being willing to address the tougher issues, Anna.
Amen.
Thank you for sharing~
I have a classmate who is from Japan, and it was so sad yesterday to see her in class. I don’t think she has still heard if her family is safe, and at one point she was just sitting in class staring at her phone with tears running down her face…
It was then that I could really emphathize with what had happened
Great points, Anna, and I whole-heartedly agree with the second one – I struggled with God’s goodness briefly several years ago, but then came to the same conclusion – God IS Sovereign and Good, even when we don’t understand it – that’s where faith comes in.
Have been praying and will continue doing so…such a tragedy.
It really broke my heart when you said they are like you.. like us…who are living normal, everyday lives.
In times like these, we do know who to call on to. And really tears my heart to think that many of them haven`t heard about the Lord yet.
Praying for their comfort and that they would find Jesus amidst all these.
they have been on my heart and in prayer today!