Tragedy and Redemption

NOTE: This post is one to ponder. There is so much more to say on this topic than what I've written below. I welcome your comments and conversation.

Tragedy and Redemption. That sounds so dramatic, like something in a movie trailer or a novel review. Can you hear the booming voice? "A classic tale of tragedy and redemption..."

It could be fiction ... or it could be the description of all of life from the beginning of time to the end of time.

Dramatic or not, it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. It seems that the more I live, the more people I know, the more awful things I realize are out there! - such tragedies of life. And then I look from a different perspective and see all of the wonderful possibilities out there, too... the sweet stories of redemption.

Let me elaborate...
Are you sick of it like I am? Are you sick of bad stuff happening?

I HATE it when (I am and) people around me (and people all over the world) are in pain: death, divorce, illness, injury, loss, cancer, abuse, debt, hunger, disease, betrayal, loneliness... How do you trust anyone anymore? How do you not worry about what awful thing could happen at any moment? How do you get in a plane, much less a car everyday? How do you decide to bring kids into this broken world? How do you pray for people? How do you make someone feel better? How do you feed starving children in Asia? How do you save child soldiers and sex slaves in Africa? ... aagghh!... How do you deal with it all?

And where is God? Where is Love? The short, true answer is "right here with each one of us," but it sure doesn't seem like it sometimes! It sounds hopeless! ...and, man, sometimes I feel simply helpless!

Tragedy
It's an issue that's been around since Adam and Eve disobeyed and the world became broken. There is now tragedy. There is now pain. There is now struggle. And I like to think that the reason for all the awfulness is somewhere outside of myself (and people like me). I tell myself that it's only big, bad Satan and Evil, it's only the serial killers, the selfish moguls, the drug-dealers, the adulterers, the corrupt rebels. I like to think it has nothing to do with us: the church-goers, the charity volunteers, the moms and dads, the good hard-working citizens of the world.

But it does.

I have disobeyed just like Adam and Eve. I have turned my back on God's plan for my life a time or two before. I have screwed up, messed up, fallen short, and really made some bottom-of-the-barrel mistakes in my life. What about you? Sure, you have too. We've got to get over ourselves and realize that we are actually capable of the same atrocities we shame others for. In some ways we each contribute to the societal systems that allow serial killers to develop, that allow poisonous chemicals to seep into food and water we consume, that encourage lies and deception, sexual deviance and selfishness, that provide environments where greed and skin-deep beauty flourish. Yep, that's us. We're broken. We're the problem. ... Don't agree with me? Think about it for a while and then let me know.

There is a bigger picture out there we can discover. Our Creator has a different perspective of the same existence - and honestly it's the only perspective that really matters. He sees the end, when good triumphs evil and He re-takes control and makes all things right. However, until that time, He has given us free will. He doesn't want an army of people forced to do what is right at every turn and forced to love and worship Him. Instead, he allows us to make our own decisions, even if they lead to pain and destruction, so that we can also be free to love him and live life for Him as his children, as free participants in His glory.

SO, therein lies the tragedy and pain: while we wait for God to bring His ultimate reign in the earth, in the meantime we make our own decisions. Some of them are good and right, but we all screw up a ton, too, making bad, immoral, inexcusable choices ... and generations before us have, too ... And many, many people choose their own independence over a life of bringing glory to Our Father... and so our world is simply awful in a lot of ways. The depravity of it all is enough to depress even the most optimistic of thinkers.


Redemption
But, when I really calm down... and think... and breathe... listen... The God of the universe slips in, surrounds me with his Spirit, and assures me that there is help and Hope and He will never leave or stop loving each one of us through it all. He loves us in spite of our disobedience and crappy choices we make about what's really important in life. He truly, deeply loves us and wants to redeem us, make good of our messes, and mold us into who He created us to be.

And it can happen!

He can make good from the bad. No, he doesn't cause the bad in order to make good, and it's not that he can't stop the bad from happening. God still is in charge and can take control at any time to prevent the bad from happening - I think he does a lot, and we never even know how good we have it. But most (or at least a lot) of the time he loosens his control and allows the bad stuff to happen; he allows the natural consequences of a fallen world to take place. Someday maybe we'll understand why. And then the amazing thing is that God also takes those awful messes and redeems them! He actually brings great and wonderful things from them! He uses them to teach us things! He reveals more of Himself to us through them! And when we're especially paying attention - IF we're paying attention - we can notice it.

Everyday I am reminded of how messed up the world is. And likewise everyday even in little ways I am reminded of how messed up I am: I yell at my kids too much; I consume too much stuff; I don't go outside to be friendly to the hurting neighbor; I didn't plan something for dinner; I forgot to return the library books; I didn't help or encourage or love like I should have... (I won't go on.) But as the days/months/years go by, I can look back at who I was; I can see how God was working in me and through me in good times - and in those tragic times too; and I get a glimpse at how I have changed, grown, matured...

And then I see that even I am being redeemed.

Take time to notice, because you are too. God loves you because He created you. It doesn't matter what you do or don't do, or what you've done or haven't done. He's in the business of forgiveness and redemption. And He loves it when we notice!

Conclusion
I can't end without addressing all my questions above about the tragedy in our lives, namely "How do we deal with it all?!"

What do you think? How do you deal with all the mess in the world? I don't know what the answer will be for you... For me, I guess I've got to try to see things through the lens of God's redemption and His deep love for us. That does two things: 1) it provides security only found in God, which helps me to breathe and have peace when there seems to be none, and 2) it frees me and compels me to live life doing my very best to bring Him glory in all that I do. In other words, it releases me from the worry to go out and make choices that bring change.

Noticing the redemption doesn't always lessen the pain of the tragedy. But recognizing that redemption is possible, and taking action as God's Holy Spirit guides us, creates change that prevents more tragedy, and brings the world closer to who we are meant to be.

Ultimately God's story is our story (which is why the Bible is such a compelling book!). It's a story of tragedy and redemption of the most perfect kind! And dramatic or not, it's a story I'm thrilled to find myself in - and hope you do too!