Does Tragedy Help Bring The Saved & Unsaved Towards God Or Does It Turn Them Away?

[Stevangelist]

I know there are a lot of variables that impact the lives of people saved and people unsaved dealing with trials, tribulations, and tragedies in life. I was just wondering how people from all walks of life deal with trials, tribulations, and tragedies in life.

What effect do you believe tragedy has on the lives of believers in Jesus Christ versus the lives of non-believers who don’t believe in Jesus Christ? Does tragedy help bring many people closer to God or do many people through tragedy drift further away from God? What do you think?

God Bless!!! :):

[Jiggy37]

Both.
Some people, after going through a tragedy, will seek out something, anything at all that will bring them comfort, and may find God in the process.
Others, after going through a tragedy, will ask the question, "If God exists, why does He let this happen?"

[duckdogger]

As believers, calamity functions to break our self sufficiency while building dependency on Him. Or, we can rebel.

[Bondservant]

The same sun that melts the wax can harden clay
And the same rain that drowns the rat will grow the hay
And the mighty wind that knocks us down
If we lean into it-Will drive our fears away

[Angel of God]

Stevangelist...

I'm going to answer your question from my own personal experience with Christ.

I have to agree with Jiggy37 that people tend to go either way...looking to grow their relationship with the Lord, or turning from Him wondering why He is allowing them to suffer.

For myself, I too have always asked why He lets us suffer, but who hasn't asked that?
I think people who turn away from Christ just because they're suffering are very much confused and hurt. They have to come to realization that they're not the only ones who suffer. Besides..if you don't have any bumps in the road of life, everything will come so easily and also dull. Now what kind of fun is that?
Also, without suffering...there would be no compassion.

Believe me, I have become a very passionate person after the recent obstacle in my life that I'm still trying to overcome. I make sure I let all the people I care about know how I feel about them. I always tell them "I love you so much, you have no idea" because they don't know. Yea, sometimes I come out of nowhere and say it, and at times it does sound corny...but I say what I mean. And I learned the hard way, that you should ALWAYS tell people how you feel, and now I'm not taking that chance anymore.

But as for coming closer to Christ, or turning your back away from Him in times of trials and tribulations...
I have to be honest. I wasn't as close to the Lord before as I am now. I know everyone has their own problems to deal with, but I have been going through so many difficult challenges since the day I was born. I have never been the type of person to ask for help whenever I needed it...I always had to do things on my own, for myself to achieve. This past year, I realized that everybody needs help- no matter how strong of an individual you are. I admitted to myself I needed help, and I finally took the couragous step and asked for it.
The disappointing thing is, I never recieved the help I seeked...and it still hurts me, because I was weak and vulnerable, and really did need help.

To let you guys in on what I'm talking about...(please, oh please don't freak) I have a very rare disease called Sturge Weber Syndrome. I've had it since I was born, and NO it's not contagious or anything. It's just doctors don't know anything about it, and used me as a guinea pig. I still am to them...but this past year, I stood up to them and voiced my heart..yes, my heart spoke. My condition is a combination of some many things...like birthmark stains on certain areas of the body, glaucoma (blindness in the effected eye -- I'm not blind, but one day I could be), mental retardation and seizures (I have neither of those, and doctors say I'm special and unique, cuz I'm the only person they know not to have those medical condtions). Even though I'm not like "my people", I still face lots of medical challenges, and I just recently found out I MAY have Cataplexy...not sure, I'll have to see a doctor, but it falls in the category of Sleep Paralysis, and based on the symptoms, I believe I may have it. (GREAT! More medical cases I have to deal with..I'm so tired of it).

Anyway, even though I didn't get any help from my doctors, to my suprise I got something better. I found a strong relationship with the Lord, and its all thanx to my best friends. One of them is a very special friend of mine, and he's the one who had me join this site...(he loves it so much!)...he goes by the name of "Soldier of God", so if you see him on the board, make sure you thank him for being a great person, and a best friend!! :kiss
I call him my "Sexy Angel" :angel ...I strongly believe that the Lord has brought him into my life, and I thank the Lord each and everyday for him.
He along a few other friends of mine, kept me in good hands...and made sure I knew Christ personally.
I don't bother asking my doctors for help anymore, they never even tried to help me, except helping me empty my parents wallets to pay their salaries. :mad It's alright though, I don't need them...the only one I need is the Lord. He's always there to help me whether I ask for it or not. He knows what goes on in my life, but when I DO need Him, he gives me a quick answer, even if it's something I may not want.

People should just open their hearts to the Lord. I know they want to know why He lets us suffer...I wonder somtimes too. But I think it's just tests He's giving us. You just got to be positive even when it's hard, and take the challenges head on. It hurts like hell to suffer all the time, and at times feel nothing BUT pain...but in the end it is all WORTH IT! They just need to keep the faith, stay close to Christ, communicate with him frequently, and hang in there.

Because of my best friends..I have a great relationship with Christ. YES! I am still learning things I should've learned earlier, but Soldier of God told me that I'm lucky to have started my walk with the Lord, because many people don't come to realize His love until they're way older, or even on their death beds. But I find that to be very sad...they wait til they're on the verge of losing their life to realize that they can either spend all eternity to rot in Hell, or in the loving hands of the Lord.

I wish that people open their eyes! No matter how hard satan tries to destroy us, he CANNOT win! People, please don't give in to him..it's not worth it.

P.S.--Bondservant, I like what you said.."The same sun that melts the wax can harden clay And the same rain that drowns the rat will grow hay And the mighty wind that knocks us down If we lean into it - Will drive our fears away." :thumb

[Green Darner]

Well, speaking from my own experience - it took a tragedy of this nation (9-11) to wake me up.

[cameron222]

Tragedy and set backs can make us "bitter" or make us better.

Tragedy is often the only way that a Christian will call upon God and declare his total dependency on Him. As long as life is going great with no needs being left unfilfilled, we get complacent and believe that life is good because of our own efforts.

We are told to give thanks in all things......ALL THINGS!! It seems unnatural to give thanks for a tragedy, but if you are sincere about it, God can turn the tragedy into a blessing and draw you closer to Him.

I also have a saying that all events in life are only temporary......Christians have a future beyond this life and anything that could possibly happen to you here will be "fixed" in heaven........for those who believe.

[duckdogger]

I like the drown the rat analogy.

[DeeLeeKay]

I think this scripture is a good explination of this.

Mat 13:3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.
Mat 13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
Mat 13:5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
Mat 13:6 but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away.
Mat 13:7 Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Mat 13:8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Mat 13:9 He who has ears, let him hear.


Mat 13:19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path.
Mat 13:20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
Mat 13:21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
Mat 13:22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Mat 13:23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

[Hootmon]

Does Tragedy Help Bring The Saved & Unsaved Towards God Or Does It Turn Them Away? Yes

[Vickimac]

Both. My folks died very young 30 yrs ago. I have one brother who was atheist because of it. He said "If there was a God, he would not leave 3 little kids to grow up without parents". As far as I know, he still is, but his wife & kids now attend church, which was a (welcome) shocker.
Another brother who's wife had a grapefruit sized tumor on her brain, not knowing if the resulting 20+ hours of surgery would kill her, faced the whole thing with an amazing attitude, like it was an "adventure" for them both! "If it's my time, I am READY, but if it's not, what an interesting thing to go through!", she was an inspiration. No outward fear, none. Same thing when thier new baby had to have surgery!

Personally, when things were their worst in my life was when my relationship grew most with God. I don't feign to have the great attitude they did, but God has certainly used circumstances in my life to show me how very much I need him.:): I fall victim to alot of mixed feelings when faced with hardships, but I never see them the way I used to, as a punishment, an unfairness, a reason to get angry or resentful, etc. I don't question his reason or knowledge, it's so superior to my own. I don't always like it :D: but I know that it is something I need.

I've seen it go both ways. But it's in the hardships that we truly grow. And remember, there is nothing any of us have to face, greater than what our Lord WILLINGLY faced in his humaness.

[duckdogger]

It doesn't always take a tragedy to get our attention. If we are attentive, sometimes its a relative minor nudge of the Holy Spirit that does the trick.

My life has unfortunately required too many trips to the wood pile. I have ignored the subtle suggestions all too many times forcing God to turn up the heat.

Now that I will never see 30 again...or 40,...or 50, I have learned to respond quickly when I stray. More importantly, I have learned to discern the fairway from the rough.

[pilgrimgal]

I agree with what has been said- some folks tragedy does make bitter and farther away from God. Others seem to draw closer to God and others it draws them to God. And I find that for me sometimes the hard times draw me closer to God and sometimes they seem to push me away.