Where is God?

The tragedies and sorrows that occur in this world are untelling. 

We live in a world, where tragedy takes on so many faces and enters the doors to our lives abruptly, without permission, as if it were bound to us. It's as if, once we wake up in the morning, the world desires to drown us in its sorrow and dictate to us how we will live the course of our lives. Most often, after this happens, we have two choices as to how we will live our lives and that is in joy or in defeat.

We've all had our fair share of what tragedy is. Some more than the other. Some might have faced major tragedies through the death of an unborn child, loss of a family member or friend due to health deterioration or an act of injustice, getting kicked out of school due to financial issues, house eviction, parents divorce, gun violence or minor tragedies like a breakup, failing a class, missing a test  etc. 

We live in a world that perceives Christians as people who are insensitive and emotionally immune to sorrows. Im a Christian, that does not mean I'm not human, I'm not ignorant to what goes on in the world. I am well aware of its sorrows and my sorrows. My heart breaks for this world and also the downsides of what happens in my world. 

People go through tragedy and turn to atheism. Atheism is prevalent in the world and in America alone 1 in 4 unchurched adult is Atheist. Most atheist are atheist because they have a problem with evil. They don't understand how a loving God can entertain and allow evil (that discussion is for another post). Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus once stated, "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence come evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" As you can see people turn to atheism because they don't understand God and and how God fits into their tragedy, and also the tragedy of the world.

There has been different prominent issues going on around the world, most recently the tragedy concerning the Isis attack in Paris, followed by the injustice concerning black lives in America, the issue of Boko Haram in Nigeria and so much more.  Also, theres a conflict on social media concerning our cares for these tragedies. People are offended that more value is being placed on Paris and less on issues in America and the other parts of the world. 

Unlike us humans, God doesn't only care about one of the worlds issues, He cares about all of the worlds issues. God does not take sides or favors hashtags. He does not place more value on team 'Pray for Paris,' while He places less value on team Black Lives Matter.  

He cares about everything and everything in between. The only team that considers all sides of the fence is His team -- team 'Bring Redemption to the World.'

So the question now is "Where is God in the face of all of these tragedies in the world?" Where was He in your personal defeats? Where was He when your mom died?  Where was He when you failed that class? Where was He when your dad raped you? Where was he where your parents got that divorce? Where was He when Matthew Ajibade was murdered in jail? Where was He when Trayvon Martin was killed? Where was He when a girl was killed in cold blood at the concert in paris? Where was He? 

 The answer is He was in the midst of it all. It says in Isaiah 53:3 that Jesus was a man of many sorrows, so God understands and knows what it means to be sorrowful. I will never know why exactly these things had to happen and there is actually no answer that will bring enough comfort to bring that loved one back. All I know is that is says in Psalm 34:18 that God is near to the broken hearted and He saves those who spirits are crushed. Where is God? He is in your circumstance with you.

 It says in the word that God was in Jesus reconciling the world back to him (2 Corinthians 5:19). The heart of God is redemption and reconciliation. His heart breaks for every inch of this world. Whether it be the popular and least popular tragedies. Whether the person that was killed was Black, White, Yellow, Hispanic, Asian. God cares. Why? Because He made the human and He sent His son for that person. 

The heart of God is for us to consider everything that goes on in the world, and pray. If your heart breaks for something in particular, that is God's way of showing you your purpose. His way of telling you to bring His kingdom to Earth in that area. 

- Grace and Peace

Nicole.