When we experience a tragedy, many of us also experience a crisis of faith. Faith is easy to hang on to when things are going well, but when our faith is tested significantly, we tend to question God’s goodness and maybe even His existence.

C.S. Lewis writes:

“You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice [a large cliff]. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it?”

You must understand that God doesn’t will evil to anyone. God doesn’t hurt people. God is love. When bad things happen, God feels and knows our pain. He is with us and works to bring good out of what was meant for evil.

I don’t know why terrible things happen to people we love. But I do know we live in a broken, imperfect world that has been corrupted by sin, and we all share in its brokenness. But here’s the thing: we can either do life with God or without. Either way, bad things still happen. And faith is not something you lose; it is something you choose or reject.

Let us not forget Jesus conquered death and offers the gift of salvation for eternal life and the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in this world. God can bring you peace in a horrific situation. Rest in His sovereignty, mercy, and grace, and let the words of the Psalmist comfort you: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4