Storms of Sudden Tragedy

Message by
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

Storm Winds

Job 1:18-19
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

Not Free of Tragedy

We do not live in a tragedy-free world.

Allowing this to be the reality in our lives may help with the start of the mourning process if tragedy hits in your life. This is not utopia or heaven. It is a world affected by sin and its consequences. When we start with the mindset that nothing bad can happen then there is a wider gap to overcome when tragedy hits.

Job Reacts

Job 1:20a
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.

Mourning

Mourning is a natural reaction to tragedy.

5 Stages of Grief
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

God can handle your feelings.You can bring your complaints and questions to God. He’s big enough to handle your doubts, complaints, questions, and feelings. He’s even big enough to handle your anger. That’s why you can release your feelings to God. In Mt. 5:4, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Literally, God blesses those who mourn. So, it’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to mourn. God doesn’t expect you to be happy all the time. You can face your feelings honestly. You can release it all to God.
Although grieving is an individual experience, there are symptoms many people share after suffering personal loss:

Feels physically drained

Can't sleep at night

Forgetful and unable to think clearly

Noticeable change in appetite

Physical distress such as chest pains, headaches or nausea

Stays extremely busy to avoid thinking about his or her grief

Eats, drinks watches television, etc. excessively

Participates in harmful activities

Becomes withdrawn, lonely and apathetic

Frequent sighing and crying

Job Worshiped

Job 1:20b-21
Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Great and Good Lord

Even in tragedy, Job praised the Lord because he was confident that:
1. The Lord was Great.
2. The Lord was Good.

I believe he knew that if any good or healing or restoration would come, it would only be because of God’s greatness and goodness. Where else can we go? Our own strength?

2Ways to Help in Storms of Tragedy
1. Bear one another’s burden. Galatians 6:2
2. Be a comforter not a curser.

Friends in Tragedy

Job 2:11-13
When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

How to not React

Job 2:9-10
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Comfort from God

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God".

Blessed after Tragedy

Life is not the same after a tragedy but it can be blessed.

More Blessed Later

Job 42:12
The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.

Heard and Seen

Job 42:5
My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.