Paris Attack: Our Faith In God

      Recently, the city of Paris suffered from a terrorist attack, for which the Islamic State claimed to be responsible. It was shocking and terrible. The world mourns with the people of France, especially with the family members of the many victims who died. In addition, there was another suicide bombing in Beirut just a day before the Paris attack. Silence was the only appropriate response to the attack on that fateful night.

      But the silence carried volumes. It carried the shock, the anguish, and the pain. But in the silence, the people also gave a message: “We are not afraid.” And our hearts stand with them.

      It is during times like these when God seems so far away. But we know He is not. We know He was right there when the tragedy occurred. We just don’t know why He allowed it. Sometimes there can be no comprehensible explanation. But will our faith shake, even when it seems like we are standing alone?

      I find it very interesting that, the day after the Paris attack, I heard the beautiful song “Trust His Heart.” It has been a number of years since I last listened to it. The first stanza of the song goes:

All things work for our good,
Though sometimes we don’t see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth.

Our Father knows what’s best for us,
His ways are our own.
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don’t see Him,
Remember you’re never alone.

The Chorus:

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
When you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand,
Trust His heart.

      I find that this is such a powerful song for times such as this. But it’s not just Paris or Beirut. It’s the whole world, and we need to pray for them. May our faith in the goodness of God never be shaken.

Prayer:

      Heavenly Father, we pray for the people of this world, and for the family members of the victims of terrorism. We pray that You will take these situations and turn it around for Your glory, from situations of loss to situations of gain. We ask that You will reveal Yourself to them in a very real way. Give them a peace of mind and a peace of heart. Though we do not understand everything, we trust that You do. Turn the hearts of the people to You, O Lord. Give them the strength and the grace that they need. Let them see You right in their midst, the never-failing hope.

      And we ask that You will strengthen Your children to be the support, encouragement, and light that we should be. Use us as a vessel for Your work for Your glory. We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong