How To Rise Above Life’s Tragedies
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Brother Felmar Serreno: When problems hit us where it hurts the most, how must we cope? You’re listening to the podcast version of God’s Message Magazine. Today’s topic is “How To Rise Above Life’s Tragedies”.
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Brother Felmar: Have you noticed how unusual the tragedies and disasters of late have been coming one after another? On top of the debilitating pandemic and the worldwide crises it has spawned, high-magnitude earthquakes continue to occur in greater frequency. The increasing incidence of wildfires that destroy hard-earned properties, fierce storms that cause severe flooding, and hunger and poverty that drive people to despair is a harsh reality that more and more are experiencing first-hand.
No place in this world can there be no problem. And no one is exempt from life’s problems that seem to become more devastating and insurmountable as time progresses. We all find ourselves in uncertain situations that test the limits of our inner strength and confidence.
When problems hit us where it hurts the most, how must we cope? What should we always remember in the face of the obstacles we never thought we would go through?
Our hope is greater than our troubles
God is our hope. Life’s tragedies can be unimaginably difficult, but the help that comes from God is far greater than any unusual disaster. This is what the Bible says to the members of the Church Of Christ:
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
[Ephesians 3:20 The Message]
Brother Felmar: What God can do is far beyond the sphere of our limited knowledge, capacity, and imagination. His power is infinite and wondrous. No problem cannot be solved through God’s help.
Not only do we have God to rely on; we also have His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to give us “the strength to meet and overcome every difficulty and circumstance.” That’s in Philippians chapter 4, verse 13 in the Last Days Bible. So, rather than panic or cringe in fear, let us take courage in believing that God can and will help us even in ways no one could guess or expect.
Experience has proven how wondrous God’s promised help can be. Thankfully recounting how God rescued the Israelites from their fierce enemies, the Psalmist said,
If the LORD had not been on our side when our enemies attacked us, then they would have swallowed us alive in their furious anger against us.
[Psalm 124:2-3 Good News Bible]
Brother Felmar: Enemies are not just people who pose threats to our faith; even situations or circumstances that may ruin our membership in the true Church Of Christ can be menacing and overwhelming. But as what His early servants experienced, “the LORD [God] … has not let our enemies destroy us. We have escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap,” for, indeed, “our help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Again, in the Book of Psalms chapter 124, verses 6 down to 8 in the Good News Bible.
That was also the experience of the faithful Christians in the first century led by the apostles. Through all the persecutions, distresses, and difficulties they suffered, they found God’s grace sufficient,
