Author: Rev. Charles Pugh

What in the world would this subject have to do with tragedy?  Well, quite a bit.  As noted, tragedy will test what you are made of and it will do much to reveal what you believe or even take belief away from you.  There are multitudes of examples of how some tragedy has led to someone turning their life toward GOD and doing much more in faith than they may have done before.  I have friends who came to believe in GOD (Theism) following a tragedy and others who came to doubt or even disbelieve in GOD (A-theism) after a tragedy.  Some even resort to what amounts to denying that GOD is involved enough to prevent tragedy (Deism)…

Following the events of personal tragedy in my own life, my faith has been strengthened.  I have also come to understand that many around me who claim to be Theists are acting more like Deists and many who lean toward Atheism are becoming more Agnostic or even considering Theism to some extent.  Either GOD does exist or HE doesn’t or HE does and has just left this world (and even this Universe) to merely natural processes.

I challenge you to think with me here or research further.  Did you know that Naturalism became more popular and a mainstream teaching even up to today due to the influence of Charles Darwin (his 200th birthday is 02-12-09 and this is the 150th year from the publication of his seminal work on 11-24-09)?  Did you know that Charles Darwin had believed in God and even studied theology?  Did you know that it was after the tragedy of sickness and death with his beloved oldest daughter, Annie, that he essentially became a die-hard Naturalist?  Did you know that his Naturalism and essentially what became Atheism was confirmed through the tragedy in the life of his 10th (and last) child, Charles, who died after struggling with was likely soon to be labeled as Down’s Syndrome (just two years before “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life” was published)?

Friend, GOD created the natural world that we should be enjoying, yet many do not acknowledge Him as the Creator.  Some are even upset with Him for allowing evil and suffering in this world.  GOD revealed Himself in time and space in and through the Historical Person of Jesus Christ (the man Who changed the way we even measure time up to today–2009 (from around the time of the birth of Jesus Christ).  He came to suffer and die for our sins and to defeat that which was lost after the fall from the original Creation (see Luke 19:10).  HE defeated death through His Resurrection from the dead and will eventually defeat death altogether (the last enemy–see 1 Corinthians 15:26).

PLEASE don’t let evil or even personal tragedy defeat you.  Do not let it blind you to the light in Creation and THE LIGHT–JESUS CHRIST!  Do not take the middle ground (Deism) and be deceived to think that GOD must exist, but is not involved in His Creation.  Do not even be the “practical Deist” that characterizes many Christians today.  The LORD is involved in my life, despite my ongoing tragedy!  HE will help you in whatever tragedy you may face.  Look over more of what is on this website.  Research more of what I have said here.  Investigate my own life or wait and read more about it in the soon coming book.  Contact me if you have further questions.  Learn to prevail and to believe what is obviously true!

More explanation here and a link to the VT Tragedy will also be explained in my upcoming book.

Whenever there is a natural disaster (often tragic for many people) there is the need to clean up what disorder may have occurred from the event (be it flood, fire, wind, earthquake, etc.).  As you think about this, it is easy to understand how cleaning up is really a part of any tragic situation, as whatever contributed to the tragedy led to things being out of their normal order.  Think about how there is even obviously the need to clean up problems with the economic conditions that have come to impact each of us.  Cleaning up is not only needed and necessary in the physical world and in our emotional worlds, but is also much needed in the spiritual world where we live…

You have to clean up every day (or should if you want to be more healthy and effective 😀).  This is true because there is a natural law or entropy (called the 2nd law of thermodynamics) that brings about disorder.  While energy is ultimately preserved (the first law of thermodynamics), it changes form and becomes less ordered, unless there is input to make it more ordered and useful again.

Dear reader, I suppose you agree with most that there is the need for change in many areas of our lives and our society today.  I have alluded to this in many of my blog articles, including the ones talking about the key to the best change and renewal that is needed (c.f. the 10-22-08 Blog, “CHANGE and REVIVAL!”).  If the priority is to be where our Creator intended, then the spiritual must be in order first.  We need to CLEAN UP there first.

You may be able to clean up your body and wash away any dirt, yet you cannot by your own efforts clean up your soul.  We are all sinners.  We sin by nature and by choice (see my 07-12-08 Blog, “Paradise Lost”).  Only by coming to trust in your Creator, who became your Savior, can you be morally clean (morally washing cannot remove the deeper stain).  Jesus Christ gave His life’s blood, which is spiritually effective to wash away the deepest stain.  It is only applied individually when one trusts in Jesus as the substitute for his or her own sin stained soul.   That is the first step in getting truly CLEANED UP (see the Gospel tab above)!

Romans 13:11-14 gives a great outline for basic things that apply to our entire being.  I have used this in my home and as a teaching reminder for my children (spiritually, emotionally and physically).  The first is from Romans 13:11—WAKE UP!  I wrote about this in my 08-27-08 Blog, “WAKE UP!”  The second is from Romans 13:12—CLEAN UP!  That comes from the phrase there, “cast off the works of darkness.”  I will talk about the other two things in future blog articles.

Do you have habits that need to be broken?  Do you feel emotionally out of order, maybe even because of some tragedy in your life?  Are there areas of your life needing some attention or cleaning?  You must be spiritually clean first and then you can make the successful effort (having the ability then) to clean up and daily “cast off the works of darkness.”

Please contact me (my info. is below) with any further questions or thoughts here.

Tragedy exposes your character; it reveals what you are made of.  The intensity of a tragedy prevents immediate reflection, yet in time reflection will serve to strengthen resolve or else reveal the need for change.  Today is the last day of 2008.  It is a day when many will be reflecting on the past year and looking forward to 2009.  Many will be celebrating–some sensibly and many foolishly.  There is reason to celebrate life and hope for the future, but only in as much as we are in tune with reality and our Creator…

2008 has been an incredible year of growth, change and even struggle.  Nearly everyone in the world has been impacted in some degree by the worldwide slowdown in the economy.  The world is shrinking due to technology and communication.  It is becoming more unified, despite obvious differences and division.  This increasing unity will either be man centered or God centered (the Bible does reveal the way things are headed and the end results).  No matter how you feel about this world or events within your own world, it is good to take this day of the year and reflect.  It is good if you will also be strengthened in your resolve.

As I personally reflect on 2008, I see how my personal tragedy has exposed the person that I am.  It has revealed my philosophy of life, my character, and my hope.  It is reflected in what is now 60 Blog Articles (since the beginning of this Website in April).  It is reflected in the 5 Poems I have written this year (6 total since the first one last December).  It is reflected in the material I am working on in my soon to be published book (LORD willing, by April 2009).  You can get an idea of what this will be about from the information on this website.  The “Top Ten Lessons” where I am focusing are tabbed above (as are my “Poems” and “Blogs”).  The overview of it all is revealed through the “Battle of the Mind” tab, where you can read the transcript and even see a rough video copy of my youngest brother’s 2004 Graveside service, following that tragedy.

The most important tab of the five above is “The Gospel” tab.  This Good News that gives me hope, purpose and meaning is the Good News that is available to all!  Please look at this Truth, if you look at nothing else on this website.  Accepting The Gospel is the ONLY way you can ultimately prevail through the tragedies and troubles in life.

Take time to REFLECT on 2008 and RESOLVE to grow and change for the better in 2009.  Don’t be distracted by any foolish celebrations; come to understand the best celebration you can have!  As I conclude in the 10th of my Top Ten Lessons, there is “Hope in Faith” (only in as much as your faith is in the right object).

Worldwide, today is a day set aside by many to remember the incredible event that changed the course of history and even the way we measure time.  It was the perfect time for the birth of the Creator into His Creation (see Galatians 4:4,5).  Many will gather with family and friends, and may even take time to reflect more on what actually happened around the birth of Christ.  That blessed event was marred by Tragedy as well, given that the Creator and King of the Universe had to be born in a lowly, likely foul smelling stable and laid in a manger.  JESUS can identify with any human condition and is thus the Great Mediator who became the Savior of all who will believe in Him.  Yet, there are tragedies today and many that could be prevented…

The greatest Tragedy is that one would deny this historical event and the historical Person of Jesus Christ.  This same Jesus is the ONE Who also came back to life in the event that separates Christianity from all other faiths.  When any person accepts the Truth about Jesus and trusts Him as their Savior, they are freed from the stresses that come from the burdens of life.  If one does not trust in Jesus, and to the extent that they do not, they will tragically come to bear their own burdens.  When those become too heavy, they bring others into their own pain through actions that often become tragedies for others.

Such was the case with the VT Shooter, Seung Hui-Cho.  Such is the case to the extent that others have been a part of the tragedy in my own life.  Such is the case in your own life to the extent you try to bear your own burdens.  My youngest brother tried this and failed, as will any.  The graveside service for this can be found above by clicking on “The Battle of the Mind” tab.  Read (or even watch the rough video) of how bearing your own burdens alone will kill you.  Whether it comes more slowly with the effects of stress or more quickly through the drastic actions of some event, tragedy is to bear your own burdens alone.  Death is the eventual enemy of us all, yet it too has been defeated through the Resurrection of CHRIST and is the last enemy to be completely defeated (1 Corinthians 15:26).

Will you bear your own burdens alone?  Cast your cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7)!  Will you be able to help bear other’s burdens?  Doing so fulfills the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)!  What better time of year than CHRISTmas to realize the burden that Jesus bore for you and give all your burdens to Him, Who offers you the BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER!

This time of year is a time when most think more about their family.  Often, extended family members will get together and enjoy food and time together.  It is a good opportunity to see relatives that you haven’t seen for some time.  Amidst the decorations, bright lights, gift giving and celebration, it is easy to become depressed, especially if you do not have the time with family that you would want.  What about those who have even lost family members and will not be able to meet with them at this time of year?  Family is very important, but is there something more?…

We are social creatures and it is important for us to have good social relationships with others (see my last Blog [12/12/08]:  “INFLUENCE and Tragedy” for a balance there).  It is very important to have friends (c.f. my 05/15/08 Blog:  “TRUE Friendship”); However, family relationships are the closest, since there is usually a blood line connection and more time that has been spent together in the past.

A couple of thoughts and questions come to mind here.  Who do you consider to be family?  Obviously, you have your blood relatives.  Sometimes there are adopted relatives too or even relatives from a merged family.  Many consider a group they are a part of to be like family.  Some even consider their work associates to be like family.  🙂  When you think about it, there actually is a relationship that all human beings have in common, so in this broad sense, we are all part of the human family.

There is yet another family grouping that is tied together by blood relation.  This is also a spiritual family.  It is made up of all those who believe in what Jesus Christ has done in shedding His blood for our sins.  So, there is an actual blood relation between believers in Jesus Christ–that is, HIS blood applied to their life account.  If you have further questions there, please check out the Gospel Tab above or contact me directly.

It is tragic when families cannot be together during the Holidays (like in my current ongoing tragedy).  It is a much greater tragedy for people to not accept the gift that will bring them into the greatest family.  In fact, this family relationship comes with the greatest relationship possible–a personal relationship with God in the Person of Jesus Christ through the Person of the Holy Spirit.

So, if you are sad this Holiday season or if you are faced with a personal tragedy (as I am) or missing a lost loved one, think of the GREATEST FAMILY you can be a part of.  This is possible by simply trusting in the Christ of Christmas, who became a man, so that He could grow up and experience human life and give that perfect life as a substitution for the sin debt we all have.

Have you opened your greatest gift?  Getting this family relationship right will help you in all your family and social relationships.