When Tragedy Strikes

When someone we know suffers a great loss or when someone they love is seriously hurt we often feel we have to find the right words to speak to them. Most of the time we feel that we can never find those words so we do nothing. However, when we think we have those words we use them only to find out they did nothing to help those who are hurting but rather make matters worse. So how can we help in time of tragedy? What can we do? I once heard Jill Briscoe say that one of the most significant ways to minister to people in the midst of tragedy is by being present with them. She calls this a 'Ministry of Presence.' My cousin Keith is a missionary in Uganda, he has told me the tales of how Ugandans deal with death and suffering. Essentially, when someone dies they truly grieve not only as individuals but as a community. They try to bury their deceased as soon as possible so the night of the death is the night of the most intense grievance. On that night people from the community, friends, family, or even acquaintances stay up all night with the family of the deceased. Their ministry is just being present with the hurting and even crying with the hurting. This is exactly what Jesus did when his friend Lazarus died. In fact, the shortest verse in the English Bible is John 11:35 - 'Jesus Wept.' Thus, when tragedy strikes the most important thing you could do is to be there with the hurting, reflect with the hurting and seek to have affection for and with the hurting. What do you think about this? How do you deal with tragedy?