Overcome calamities

Tragedy: How do we face it? Can we deal with it constructively? Terrorism: How can we cope with this insanity? Car wrecks? Plane crashes? Losing a loved one instantly? Murders, violence, school shootings, wars, misfortunes?

All the above calamities brought me to the conclusion that we are only human and moral beings who will all someday meet our destiny.

When the Oklahoma City bombing of the federal building occurred in 1995, I felt a deep remorse for all those people and especially for those children who died there. Then 9/11 occurred, where almost 3,000 people died when four planes hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and rural Pennsylvania. At seeing the destruction I wept like a child. Yes, it bothered me, although I knew no one personally— it hit me hard.

Why do such things occur? How can we be overcomers and face these calamities with confidence and hope that, through it all, we can, along with our nation, all become stronger and

determined to build a better country, a better world, and strengthen our will that things will become all right in the future. That God has all things in control and that he knows and cares about us individually. He loves us and wants the best for us.

It is hard for us to grasp his purpose when tragedy strikes, but maybe God is trying to convey the message that we should not take too much stock in this world for there is yet another world far more precious than this one that the Christian needs to learn about, where true joy and happiness abound, where justice has been served, where there are no more tears, and our loved ones can live in peace. Where strife, heartache, remorse and discontent will be things of a distant past. Where all things will become new.

TOM KNIGHT

Little Rock