Just as life was finally returning to normal as the pandemic wound down, another event shattered our sense of normalcy: the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Four years later, it’s still tragically ongoing and continues to reshape the world order. How can we avoid falling into despair when such catastrophic events occur? I’d like to briefly remind us of four essential truths.
- God cries over our suffering. The Lord is not indifferent to human pain and misery. The Bible’s fundamental truth is that God loves us far more than we could ever imagine, and his love motivates everything he does. Jesus, God in human form, showed us the divine heart when he cried over the human condition. The whole purpose of him becoming a man was to deliver us from our hopeless state. Yes, I can hear the objections: “So why is there so much suffering?” which leads to my second point. (1)
- Evil exists because people aren’t listening to God. We blame God for all that’s wrong, but the truth is that war and human cruelty happen because people refuse to follow him. We’ll never understand why he’s given us such freedom of choice, but it’s important to remember that he’s never the source of evil. On the contrary, he has shown us the way to life, joy, and peace, yet people ignore him. We can’t downplay the influence of Satan, either, who sows death and destruction around the world. (2)
- God somehow uses evil for his purposes. I’m not implying that bad things must happen for good to come out of them. By no means! Evil isn’t necessary for God to accomplish his will. But his power and sovereignty are such that even evil can never prevent him from achieving his goals. He can turn any bad situation around, which gives us reason to hope. (3)
- We will never be secure on earth. I don’t mean to sound discouraging, but the truth is that our planet has fallen under the control of Satan, who’s described as a lion seeking to devour everyone in his path. We must expect adversity and be ready for it, recognizing that the earth is a spiritual battlefield. But the good news is that we’re not left alone in the fight. God is willing to walk with us if only we follow him. And this world is not the end – we are made for eternity. (4)
In the first days of the war in Ukraine, a Polish journalist was interviewing people in Kyiv who had taken refuge in the subway. A girl of about 10 had three pet rats in a cage, and she tenderly held each one in turn as she said their names. Her love for them burst through the TV screen. Whenever I think of that scene, I dissolve into tears, as if it’s become for me a symbol of the innocence of life that’s been so cruelly shattered.
I share this story because, by listing these truths, I don’t mean to minimize the calamity of war and the suffering it causes. On the contrary, the tragedies that strike us should rightly cause us to grieve and mourn. My reason for writing is to give us a reason never to lose hope.
(1) Luke 19:41-42, Romans 8:35-39
(2) Matthew 23:37-38, Romans 3:10-18
(3) Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:11, Genesis 50:19-20, Philippians 1:12-14
(4) John 16:33, 1 Peter 5:8-9
This Post Has 14 Comments
Amen, Carol!
🙂
Very well said, Carol. Thank you for this timely reminder.
You’re welcome. 🙂
Thank you for this timely reminder. You and the people I met in Poland have been on my mind. Thank you again for these truths.
🙂
Thank you, Carol, for this timely post!! Praying!!
You’re welcome. I needed to remind myself of these truths, too!
Thank you Carol! We are praying for you and the region.
🙂
Class mates from Moody ASP remember you in prayer.
Thank you 🙂
Very thoughtful. Thank you.
You’re welcome 🙂