Keeping Faith

It is hard to hold fast to faith in our Lord when faced with tragedy or overwhelming circumstance. When we feel helpless, it seems like God is either impotent to help us or disinterested in the suffering of His people. When faced with our greatest most intimate pain it can feel like God is so far way that He doesn't even notice us. Most may not admit it but, I think almost all of us have felt that way at some time or another. How do you find comfort in trials and sufferings when God seems unwilling do do anything to stop them? The fact is that God sometimes allows hard times and bad things to happen to those He. Babies die in their sleep, teen girls become rape victims, disturbed people go on senseless shooting sprees etc. How do victims of horrific tragedies remain faithful to God through these times?
The absolute sovereignty of God. The fact that it wasn't some random occurrence that could happen by chance at any time. Knowing that someone, that God who loves me is in control and that all things work for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. That is the way that the black churches in America grew and thrived during slavery. That is how parents deal with the grief of losing a child. It doesn't remove the pain or fair or other negative emotions we feel at these times but, it lets us know that God is not ignoring us or tormenting us through events and circumstances in our lives. Knowing that bad things don't randomly happen but are part of God's good purpose frees us to live without fear of tragedy striking at any time. It frees us to seek God's face and know that he will be found and that He has something good for us.