Clouds rolled in, dark, angry clouds. It didn’t take long for the people to know that this was no ordinary storm. Soon they recognized the tell-tale signs of a major tornado. Heavy darkness descended as the twister tore up the town on its way another location.
The next day, the sun shone on the destruction. After the first few moments spent grieving what was lost, the people began sorting through the rubble to find what was left so they could begin rebuilding. In the light of the bright sun, they were ready to begin again.
Seeing Past the Disaster
Just like the victims of horrific storms, people go through tragedies in life every day. Many of those tragedies have lasting consequences that can’t be undone.
What happens next determines where they will go in life and what they will do. If they want to get past the tragedy, they must let the Son shine in and help them rebuild.
Take Bethany Hamilton, for example. The story of a courageous young woman who survived a shark attack touched millions of people and made her a household name. She lost her left arm in the attack, but she was back on her surfboard just three weeks later. She went on to become a professional surfer and won many awards.
Her biggest achievement is off the surfboard where she has become a role model for young girls everywhere. She has also had a much larger platform to share her faith with others than she might have had without the attack.
Using Your Tragedy for Good
Another inspirational survivor is Joni Erickson Tada. Many Christians know of her story. Injured in a diving accident when she was just a teenager, she has since been paralyzed from the shoulders down. Though she battled depression after the accident and had to learn to live a new kind of life, she has gone on to major fame.
She first learned to paint with her mouth, using what abilities she had instead of dwelling on what she couldn’t do. She also became the author of several books and has spoken on her experiences in many high-profile places. She is an advocate for the disabled and for many other causes she believes in.
A Path Not Chosen
While neither of these women chose the paths their lives have taken, they have learned to use the circumstances for their good. They have believed and followed Romans 8:28 that says that everything works together for those that love God. While many of us want to believe that it means that everything will “turn out okay” in the end, it is not the meaning behind the verse.
What God does promise is that if we continue to love Him through the darkness, He will take the twisted remains of our lives after the tragedies and turn them into something good for His glory. You just have to be willing to take the broken pieces and keep going. You never know what ministry will develop from the rubble of your life.
Have you experienced a tragedy in your life? How has it shaped your ministry? How could you start a ministry from those experiences? Let us know your story in the comments.
