Written by Wes White
(Used with permission, GoServe, Summer, 2003, a
publication of Global Outreach, www.globaloutreach.org)
No one is ever prepared for tragedy. Its force shatters our understanding, leaving us to wonder, & "Why?" We look toward the heavens and say, & "Why, Lord?" Why him or why that or why now - questions that beg an answer in the face of tragedy. Recently, such questions pushed into my mind, as tragedy struck our Global Outreach family.
On a lonely stretch of highway deep in the heart of Guatemala, bandits armed with automatic weapons interrupted the fun of a ministry trip and in an instant transformed joy into terror. In the moments that followed, the life of Todd Fields would be snatched from this earth.
Why do bad things happen to good people? I was forced to grapple with the question.
Todd was not only a Global Outreach missionary; he was my friend. I respected him, his work, his commitment, his love for the Honduran people and the loving relationship he had with his family. We had worked together, laughed together and talked of dreams and plans for the future. This issue of GO Serve is dedicated to the ministry and memory of Todd Fields, and this article, to the question of why.
When I am faced with a question too difficult for me to answer, I search for someone who can. In this case, my search led me to the Lord and His Word. Through the scriptures, God was able to give me a sense of peace and acceptance. In three ways God comforted my mind.
First, I can trust God in this tragedy because I know that "His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts..." (Isaiah 55:9). God sees the beginning from the end. He has the perspective of eternity and He is working all things out for our good (Rom. 8:28). I need a God that is bigger than my understanding. However, at times that means I must trust Him completely through the "why's" because His ways are more than I can comprehend. In His infinite wisdom He is working in us and around us to complete His purpose throughout the earth.
Secondly, I can trust God because the saved life is a surrendered life. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that "...You are not your own; you were bought at a price..."When Christ bought me with His precious blood, I released my hold on my life. Todd did exactly the same thing. In fact, this surrendered life is the clarion call of all missionaries. Their lives reflect the words of the old hymn, "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord; I'll be what you want me to be..." They surrender their lives not only to service but also to the possibility of suffering and loss.
Finally, God has shown me that death is not a period at the end of life's sentence but a, —a pause - which continues life in a different direction and location. For the believer, we pass from life to life, from this life to the next. Todd lives with His Lord and one day we will reunite with him in Glory. Death then becomes a "see you later" rather than a "good-bye."
We will grieve our loss. We miss Todd greatly. But the God of all comfort is available to help us walk through this time of heartbreak. And knowing that we have a loving God who is in control helps us move from heartbreak to hope.
