We don’t have to make good from bad. We don’t need tragedy to become better versions of ourselves; better physicians, better professors, better poets, better planners, better pastors, better people. It is not enough to look for the “why of God” in these times of tragedy. Instead, we look for the “who of God” in Jesus who accompanies us, weeps with us, worships with us, and searches with us. And yet—goodness and betterness will emerge. In the midst of tragedy, God is present and love is still revealed.
Loving God, thank you for all of the reminders of your persistent love in a world that desperately needs it. In times of upheaval and uncertainty, help us to be present in our lives and our communities as they really are, not only as we wish they were. In a time when we must be physically distant, help us to see and respond to the needs of others even as we see and respond to our own needs. Amen.
This message is an excerpt from The Only Way Through Grief by Kristen Glass Perez in the April 2020 issue of BoldCafe.
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