In The Face of Tragedy

 FLORIDA  

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD

This past week put us face to face once again with one of the darkest parts of our society.

Our reactions are often predictably inadequate.

Loss

I'm so sorry for your loss. The Oxford dictionary defines loss as, the fact or process of losing something or someone, the state or feeling of grief when deprived of someone or something of value. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines loss in many ways one of which is: the harm or privation resulting from losing or being separated from someone or something.

The question is, when you look at someone who has suffered a terrible loss, and you say, “I'm so sorry for your loss, are you really?”

Prayers

Another often positive reaction to a loss such as what we have seen this past week is simply the expression, “I'll be praying for you, or I'll keep you in my prayers, or we should all keep them in our prayers.”

And the question is: do we really keep the people who suffer these types of tragedies in our prayers?

Have you, in the past days since the tragedy in Texas, stopped for an instant, closed your eyes, or dropped your head, and remembered those who lost children in the Texas’ shooting?

We roll these comments off our tongues, “I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'll keep you in my prayers," almost literally without thinking about what we're saying.

More appropriately, do you know how to offer such a prayer?

Even those with a strong biblically based faith are often at a loss when it comes to praying in the face of tragedies.

Dealing with grief and loss is difficult for all of us. It's even more difficult when it is a close loved one. When the loss is a distant tragedy, one that doesn't directly affect us in a real way, in many cases, we are just simply looking for the right words.

As the number of these tragedies continues to grow, these platitudes of concern seem to mean less and less.

BayPost Media hosts several different sites. One of them is a daily prayer guide. You can check it out at His Moments or on Twitter. I hope you find it helpful.

If you are genuinely sorry about what happened in Texas, and you're experiencing a deep sense of grief for those who were directly involved, then you may want to pray not only for them, but for yourself and your children.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook, follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.

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