I read something the other day that I thought was interesting. The author pointed out that when John the Baptist was murdered by Herod, Jesus said nothing. His didn't try to console his followers. He offered no platitudes. He didn't glibly tell them that the Father would bring something good out of it. He explained nothing. All Matthew records is that Jesus slipped away to spend time with his Father and to mourn privately (Matt. 14:12-13).
Maybe there's a lesson here.
My kids and grandkids are still experiencing the after-effects of their car accident a month ago. MRI's, x-rays, PT appointments, constant aches and pains, loss of work, the hassle of trying to find a replacement van. The list seems endless. Sometimes I wonder why God allowed such a senseless accident to occur. My kids are good, hard-working people who don't live high off the hog. It all seems so unfair.
The plain hard truth is that evil exists in the world. And because it exists in the world, each and every one of us can expect to experience the pains of life. No one knew this better than Jesus. He knew that nobody was immune to suffering, himself included. The whys of life must be left to him. When we see him face to face we'll discover why our life turned out as it did. Until then, the believer is called upon to accept what he can't change.
But not for long. Soon and very soon, every tear will be wiped away without a trace of pain or mourning. At the end of the long night, there will be light.
In the meantime, stand firm. The Lord stands beside you.