With the tragedy in Florida there is lots of talk about gun control, parental responsibility, mental health and if God is really real. Conversations the families in your church are likely having with the people they know as well; and questions the children in your ministry may have heard and are wondering about.I have personally read a number of posts on facebook and there is a lot of pain and confusion out there - including among believers. One of the best comments I heard addressed the question others raised about if God was either powerless to stop the shooter or just didn't care and was either not really God or an evil god.
This comment said basically we do not know how many times God prompted someone to reach out to the person who shot and killed so many teens and teachers. We do not know how many times the Holy Spirit put on the hearts of those around the shooter to talk to him, befriend him and show they care. These are things God very well could have done, and likely did do; but for whatever reason, people did not reach out. People did not follow up when the shooter was expelled from school. People did not report the things he said and did so they could be followed up on by law enforcement.
Just the day before the shooting in Florida, a grandma in Washington State reported her own grandson, because he was threatening to shoot up a local school. I can only imagine how difficult this was for the grandma to do, but in doing so she likely saved lives and made it possible for her grandson to receive help.
There are no easy answers when things like this happen, but we do know God is real. He does love us. He is a good God. We know His heart breaks for the pain evil brings to the lives of the people He created.
We also know He allows us all to make choices. If we choose to live by the example Jesus left for us, we will reach out to those who need people in their lives to show love and concern to them. If we choose to live by the example Jesus left for us, this would would be a much better place. But, God does not "make" us make this choice. We have to make the choice to live as Jesus did and love others as He did and still does.
At all times, but especially when sad and difficult things happen in our lives and the lives of others we know and/or hear about, it is essential for us to cling to the promises of God. We must hold tightly to what we know is true - even when we may not understand.
We need to equip and empower the parents and grandparents of the children in our ministries to do these things as well, so when the children they love see the adults in their lives doing these things, they will be able to grow up trusting God is good; in the times where they are happy and rejoicing and the times when they are confused and sad.
Hold tightly to God and His promises and show what it looks like to trust God. Not empty or meaningless platitudes; but instead the truth and what we must do.
(This post is from the Grandmas with Heart facebook page - please check it out and like, follow and share with the people you know.)
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