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Sermon
of 09-29-01
"Recovering From Life's Disasters"
by Dr. D.A. Farmer, pastor
Eccl. 8:14:
"There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just [men], unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked [men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also [is] vanity."
By now, most every person alive has heard of the disaster of that happened in New York and Washington, DC. The results of that attack have been devastating to many, many people. It was a total disaster. Almost 7,000 people killed. And the number keeps rising as the days go by. The physical recovery has begun for some, but the emotional recovery from this disaster will take far longer.
What I would like to do this morning is a little bit different because of what happened a few weeks ago. Some of you remember our Prayer Meetings a few months back where we studied on how to handle a crisis. Many here this morning were not able to attend. So I thought I would bring you a small portion of what we studied.
Please take out your sermon outline from your bulletin. (Found at the end of this sermon). I want to briefly share with you some principles on how we as individuals and as a nation recover from such a tragedy.
Now I realize, you may not personally have been affected by the attack in New York or Washington, but in a way, we as Americans have been affected. Another thing to understand, and that is sometime in life, we all go through some sort of tragedy or disaster. It's not a question of if, it's just a matter of when, because in this world, our lives are full of tragedy. It happens to someone every moment around the world. And tragedy is no respecter of persons.
The Bible teaches that this is not a perfect world. There is sin in this world and suffering is the results. The Bible is very open and honest about this. Notice our scripture again only this time from the Clear Word Version. Eccl. 8:14;
"Now there's something else that happens in life. Good men sometimes get what the wicked deserve and the wicked sometimes get what the righteous deserve."
What King Solomon is saying here is that we don't always get what we deserve. Friends, the first thing to learn this morning is that people often make two mistakes regarding disaster. One is to think all the good things that happen to you prove you are good, and all the bad things that happen to you prove you are bad. That's not clear thinking and it's not what the Bible teaches.
In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus was talking about two tragedies that happened in His day. Basically what Jesus was saying in those verses;
"You know there were a bunch of innocent people up there worshipping at the temple and they came in and were brutally slaughtered when a tower fell on eighteen people and killed
them."
Then He posed the question, "Who sinned, that caused this tragedy? Was it a result of their sin?" Then He answered His own question and said, "Absolutely not!"
Would you agree with me that most of the problems we have in life are our own fault? The vast majority of them are. Most of the times we reap what we sow. And there are the times when we will suffer innocently. You see, not everything that happens to you and me is always God's will. Some people today are saying that this war we're facing is God's will. The attack on New York and Washington was God's plan because America has walked away from His Commandments. I respectively disagree. In fact I have some spiritual terms for those thoughts. "Baloney!" "Hogwash!" "Nonsense!" I'm sorry, but that is not the way God works. Please, don't blame God for these attacks. This war - this attack was because of some radical terrorist. But the bottom line is that if you really want to blame somebody then blame Satan. He is the one to blame. And this war did not begin September 11, 2001 in New York City! No! It began some 6,000 years ago in Heaven.
It began when Satan threw an all out assault with stealth technology on God's Government. This rebel against God's creation instigated destroying everything God created and loved. He used different techniques on the Holy Angels and he still uses different techniques today on us. A great controversy began between Christ and Satan over the character of God, His law, and His dominion in the universe.
The Bibles says God's grieves too when we face pain. Listen to Psalm 34:18 from the NIV.
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
We know God could have stopped those terrorists. He could have taken away their free will, their freedom to choose. But in order to do that, He'd also have to take away our free will to choose.
Our greatest blessing God ever gave any of us is the freedom to chose, as we want. We have that freedom even though He knows we might choose to do the wrong thing. And when the wrong choices are made in life, often-innocent people suffer. Does that make sense? Simply put; God's will is not always done in this world, as He would like.
Do you want to know what God's will is? 2 Peter 3:9 says God;
"is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
NIV
Now I have a question. Does everyone repent? No, even though that is God's desire. Then will some perish? Yes. But why? Because God never forces His will on anyone. That's why we're to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Why? Because God's will isn't always done on earth. If His will were being done, He wouldn't have asked us to pray for it.
Now my purpose this morning is not to explain suffering. That would take a whole series of sermons of what God says about reasons and causes. This morning I want to instead talk to you about how to handle suffering.
In your bulletin outline I have given you five principles on how to respond to tragedy. Let's look at the first one. 1. RELEASE your grief.
One thing we are taught in psychology is that when (not if) but when you go through a tragedy, the first thing you need to do is release your grief. Why? Because tragedy almost always creates strong emotions in us. Did you feel any emotions during the attacks in New York and Washington? If you didn't then we need to talk. Call me later.
Yes, we felt fear, anger, worry, and depression, maybe even a little resentment. We all probably grieved over those that died and the building that were lost. And these feelings can be a little scary at times. Sometimes we don't know what to do with our feelings.
Those in the know recognize that if you don't deal with your feelings, your recovery takes longer than it should. But many people stuff those feelings. They stuff their emotions because they don't know how to handle them. So they deny or ignore them and try to push them down deep. Some people think God wants everybody to go around all the time with a happy face. Folks, life isn't always happy. And God doesn't expect you to be smiling all the time. Notice what Jesus said in Matt. 5:4;
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Friends, the Bible says that it's ok to grieve. We have to face our feelings. Never suppress them.
Notice this verse in Psalm 62:8,
"Trust in him at all times; you people; Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."
NKJV God wants to comfort all of us during any tragedy. So the first thing you need to do is release your grief. If you don't, then you'll take it out on yourself or somebody else.
Once you... 1. Release your grief, next, is to 2. RECEIVE from others. Listen to Galatians 6:2;
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
NKJV
Friends, it is a huge mistake to isolate yourselves from others when you're going through a crisis. Unfortunately, that is usually what we do. We feel nobody understands my problem. But you need other peoples support. You need their encouragement, and in many cases, you need their presence.
God says we need to 1st. Release our grief - we need to 2nd. Receive from others and 3rd we need to 3. REFUSE to be bitter. Listen to Job 21:25;
"Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure."
NKJV
Some people have no happiness at all. They live and die with bitter hearts. God has actually given you and I the right to choose to be either happy or bitter. It's our choice! But we can't have both. If you choose to be bitterness, then you have to realize that you're not only hurting yourself, but others too. And that is a guarantee you won't be happy, because you can't be happy and bitter at the same time.
You know, it's always amazing to me when I see people go through some sort of tragedy. Some bounce right back and some stay bitter for a long time. Some never get over their bitterness but those that bounce right back are the ones that have a happy, cheerful, positive attitude.
Some of you wonder how can others do that? That's a simple answer; happiness is a choice. You're as happy as you choose to be.
One thing I teach in my seminars is you can't help the way you naturally feel. All of us feel a certain way when anything ever happens to us. We are all different. With different temperaments and personalities. No we can't help the way we naturally feel, but we can control how we react to those feelings. You can choose to be angry or depressed. You can choose to be mad or sad. Or you can choose to be happy and content. The choice is yours. Happiness or bitterness is a choice.
In fact God says;
"Be careful not to lose your hold on God's grace by allowing bitterness to come into your hearts, which will not only hurt you, but a lot of others."
Heb 12:15 (CWV) God is saying, to make it through a crisis, don't become bitter.
I was channel surfing the other day and I came across this man who is a preacher with cerebral palsy. Have you ever seen this preacher on TV? Here was a guy who said I lost my mom and dad when I was a small child. I had to grow up with cerebral palsy. If you've seen him you know that he can't speak very well. But I like what he calls the 11th commandment. "Thou shalt not bellyache." If you refuse to be bitter, then most of your problems will solve themselves and leave you faster.
So what is the antidote from feeling bitter when tragedies come our way? Do 2 things:
1. Accept what cannot be changed. Quit trying to fight it. Faith is facing the facts and not becoming discouraged.
Job 11:13 and 16 says in the NIV to;
"...stretch out your hands to him,
V:16
You will surely forget your trouble,..."
Faith is facing the facts of life, and not being discouraged by them. There are bad things in the world. And bad things do happen to good people, but faith is facing the facts without getting discouraged.
The second thing: 2. You focus on what's left. Not what's lost.
Listen to 1 Thessalonians 5:18;
"In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
NKJV
Now some of you are thinking does this mean I'm to be thankful for disasters? Of course not. God doesn't expect you to be thankful for a tragedy. What He means is that you should be thankful for what's left, - not what's lost. God also wants us to focus on His goodness. Friends, believe me. No matter how bad something looks, it could have been worse! Look at what our Government is discovering about the terrorist and the plans they had that didn't happen. I can't imagine nor do I want to know what America would be like this morning if everything they had planned had been successful.
Yes God says we need to 1. Release our grief - 2. Receive from others, 3. Refuse to be bitter, and fourth - we need to 4. REMEMBER what's important.
Disasters have a way of clarifying values. They have a way of pointing out what matters and what really doesn't matter. Jesus said in Luke 12:15;
"Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possess."
NKJV In other words, don't confuse your net worth with your self worth. Don't confuse your possessions with your purpose in life. Don't confuse what you're living on with what you're living for.
I assure you, not one family member was worried about the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or jets that went down. I feel pretty confident that all they could think about was their loved ones in those buildings or on those jets. They didn't care about their money, homes, cars or jobs. Most people probably took out pictures or watched video's - wishing - praying that they had one more time to say how much they loved them.
Yes, the greatest things you discover in a tragedy is that the things of this world aren't important. Look at 1 Tim. 6:7
"We brought nothing into this world, and we can't take nothing out of it."
NIV
You're never going to see a hearse with a U-Haul behind it. Here's the point, if you really want happiness, then build your life on something that can never be taken from you.
You can lose a home! You can you lose a career. You can lose a marriage. You can lose your health. But can you lose your relationship with God? Yes and No. God says in Hebrews 13:5,
"I will never leave you or forsake you."
But you can decide to leave Him.
Listen to 2 Peter 2:20-21;
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
V:21
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
God says we need to 1. Release our grief - 2. Receive from others, 3. Refuse to be bitter, 4. Remember what's important. And the fifth is 5. RELY on Christ.
Listen to Phil. 4:12 and 13;
"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
V:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
NIV
HOW?
( Lean on Christ for stability!
"Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."
Ps. 125:1 NIV
(Listen to Christ for direction!
"For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD,
''plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jer. 29:11 NIV
(Look to Christ for salvation!
"Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
V:3
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
Ps.46:2 NIV
To close just let me read the words from a woman that lived through many tragedies throughout her entire life.
"We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history." Last Day Events page 72.
RECOVERING FROM LIFE'S DISASTERS
by Dr. D.A. Farmer, pastor
Ecclesiastes 8:14; "Now there's something else that happens in life. Good men sometimes get what the wicked deserve and the wicked sometimes get what the righteous
deserve." Clear Word Version - CWV
HOW TO RESPOND TO TRAGEDY
1. ______________________________ MY GRIEF.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matt. 5:4 NKJV
"Trust in him at all times; you people; Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." Ps. 62:8
2. ______________________________ FROM OTHERS.
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
3. ______________________________ TO BE BITTER.
"Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with
pleasure." Job 21:25 NKJV
"Be careful not to lose your hold on God's grace by allowing bitterness to come into your hearts, which will not only hurt you, but a lot of others." Heb 12:15 CWV
THE ANTIDOTE:
* _____________________ what cannot be changed.
"...stretch out your hands to him, V:16
You will surely forget your
trouble,..." Job 11:13, 16 NIV
* Focus on what's __________________, not what's lost..
1 Thessalonians 5:18; "In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." NKJV
4. ________________________________ WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
"Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possess." Luke 12:15 NKJV
"We brought nothing into the world, & we can take nothing out of it." 1 Tim. 6:7 NIV
5. ________________________________ ON CHRIST.
"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. V:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Phil. 4:12 & 13 NIV
HOW? ... Lean on Christ for Stability!
"Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."
Ps. 125:1 NIV
"You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you.." Is. 26:3 (NCV)
* Listen to Christ for direction!
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,
''plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jer. 29:11 NIV
* Look to Christ for salvation!
"Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
V:3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Ps. 46:2 NIV
"We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history." LDE page 72
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