BUT.
Instead of me saying anything at all about this horrific shooting, I'd like you to just hear it from one of the survivors instead.
So please head over to A Miniature Clay Pot and read Marie's words for yourself.
http://aminiatureclaypot.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/so-you-still-think-god-is-a-merciful-god/
I still can't believe this happened less than an hour from me :( We need a break in Colorado. Thanks for sharing, my dear.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this, Ashley. I think it's wonderful that she posted this with not only a first hand experience, but with such a wondful and eternal perspective. Hope ya have a fab weekend!
ReplyDelete-Kristen
The Mrs. and The Momma
Thank you so much for sharing this. I needed to read this and I have passed it along to those I know would appreciate it. Beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that link. I read that post. Very powerful. Solid Truths. It was very encouraging- thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. This is an incredible testimony.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to be a pessimist at all and this is speaking from a Christian...but I have to be blunt when I have to say it's easy for her to say how good and merciful God is and give a testimony. Her life and her loved ones were spared....what can be said about those who lost a parent, a child, a dear friend? How do you share a testimony of God's mercifulness when someone's life has been turned upside down by this?
ReplyDeletePlaying Devil's Advocate here, how can one explain why children were gunned down the way they were? Can you look at a victim that probably saw their loved one get gunned down and reassure them God is merciful? It's a very loaded questions with gray-area answers.
I do understand what you're saying. Interesting perspective. Does anyone else have any thoughts?
DeleteI completely understand where you're coming from. I'm a believer and I can say that I completely trust God is in control of everything, but I also know what it's like to have those you love ripped from you. I've had a number of losses and trying times in my life. I think one thing I come back to is the book of Job. God was in control and allowed Job to go through trials he didn't understand and when Job questioned God (like most of us would) God's response was telling Job of His greatness. I think it shows us how little we know and understand. I've learned to be okay with some of the mysteries of this faith and keep my eyes focused on Christ. I'm not always sure the road He's called me to walk down, but I know that he loves me and it's for His glory as well as our good. I posted a video on my blog the other day that I find very encouraging for time we want to ask why. You might find it helpful to listen to.
Deletesorry for the long answer:) I hope that was helpful. Llike I said, this is an area that I've had to wrestle with in my faith and I've don't a lot of research on it, if you'd like to talk more or would like any of the books I've read let me know.
Here is an answer to your question from one of the parents of those killed in the shooting. He says that because of it he KNOWS there is a God http://gma.yahoo.com/women-survived-theater-shooting-grieve-hero-boyfriends-215438672--abc-news-topstories.html
Deletei read this the other day and found that it was really helpful to be reminded of the fact that God has given us the freedom to choose - to choose Him or to choose evil - but that he is always brought to glory through whatever choice we make!
ReplyDeleteJane - i think you bring up a really good point though. not that this will be any sort of GOOD answer, but i know that when i had a miscarriage last year i kept asking the question "WHY?" but then found that WHY is a really unproductive question. no matter what answer i could have been given, it would never have been good enough. it's never easy to understand why we lose the people we love, no matter how we lose them. more than anything i think the unknowing forces people to search for God even more, even if they're not trying to search for Him.
the only answer that i could give is based on 2 Corinthians 12:9 where it states that God's power is made perfect in our weakness. at the worst times in our life it's God's mercy, grace and power that pulls us through and pulls us closer to him.
as you said, it's full of gray areas - all we can do is pray that God's truth is brought to light in all of it, especially for the families of the victims of this terrible crime!
I would like to say that I'm glad that the survivor can hold onto her faith so strongly in the midst of a terrible ordeal. I understand people usually respond to traumatic events differently but the fact that her moments of "shock shell" from the event left her immediately turning to her faith does leave me in awe. I also hope she continues to lean on her faith as time goes on and hope she doesn't develop any symptoms of PTSD.
DeleteI guess the concept I have a hard time understanding as a Christian is God is always in control (which I believe)...yet when people choose the path of evil and it's inflicted on the innocent, it's those moments where we can feel at times that God is OUT of control. But I guess that's where faith that He is in control steps in :)
This is such a great post and soemthing we all needed to hear today...thank you
ReplyDeleteloved this. and it was said so perfectly...plus if anyone has any right to say anything..this would be the person
ReplyDelete