Painful Blessing

Tragedy struck our community last Tuesday, when a father accidentally ran over his 3 yr. old son while pulling into the family driveway.  The boy died immediately, after leaving his 5 yr. old sibling and playfully diving under the truck as it moved foward.

As news of this horrible tragedy spread, numerous people began calling me, asking if I was willing to meet with this family in hopes of helping them somehow -- since I had gone through the horror of something very similar nearly 15 years ago.  I volunteered, of course, and the following day I was introduced to the family.

Over the past week, I've had the honor of spending a good deal of time with this couple, and especially the father.  It's been a blessing being able to help them, filling them in on what they can expect over the weeks and months and years to come.  But this is a painful blessing -- a paradoxical situation I would have never chosen to be qualified for.

Have you ever been in a situation like that?  Have you ever been able to help someone at a terrific and painful price to you personally?  Life can be funny that way sometimes.  I think it's one of the ways God follows through and "works good" out of the painful tragedies we experience in life (cf. Rom.8:28).

I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts on this, AND... would especially covet your prayers for this family.

Comments

[Keith Seckel]

Wow Chris,

Reminds me of 2 Cor 1:3-4:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Cor 1:3-4: NASB)

And while my situation pales in comparison to the experience you and that family are going through, I have been through (read: put myself into) some painful stuff. And God has used me to come alongside others going through what I went through -- living out the idea of PARACLETOS from 1 John 2:1-2 (my stupidity and sin wreaked havoc in my life -- but God brought healing and restoration, and has used me to help others in the same stupidity and sin).

May the Prince of Peace hold you all in the hollow of His hand.

~ Keith

[Bill Ekhardt]

Wow, hard story. Blessings to you in the midst of this ministry.

[david]

chris, blessings to you . . . i just 'intrupted' the family buzz in our living room where my wife, my mother, my son, my mother's husband are sitting . . . and read your blog . . . please tell this family that there are many families that read your blog who are and will pray . . . peace to you my brother . . .

[Patmos]

wow...Chris, I know you did the right thisng and God gave you the right things to say or not to say to that family...

[rtiludhiana]

love crates love live and let live