In this week’s lesson “Where Is God When the Unthinkable Happens?” John Mulligan addressed the heartbreaking flood in Texas that claimed the lives of young girls attending a church camp. A tragedy of this magnitude challenges even the strongest faith. Rather than offering easy answers, the lesson guided listeners through a thoughtful biblical reflection on suffering, divine silence, and trust. Drawing from personal sorrow, historical tragedies, and passages like Psalm 10 and Habakkuk 1, John emphasized that asking "Where is God?" in the midst of pain is not a sign of weak faith—but a deeply human, and even scriptural, response.

Knowing about painful events is difficult, especially in an age of constant, global news coverage. But explaining them is harder still. Scripture never shies away from these questions; it records them honestly, even from prophets and kings. While we are often left without clear answers, the Bible points us to a God who allows these questions and walks with us through the hurt. The cross itself—the place where the Father did not intervene to spare His own Son—reminds us that God is not distant from suffering. He feels it, too. And even without full understanding, believers are invited to hold fast to a God who is compassionate and merciful.

Faith means choosing trust in the absence of clarity. Even when there’s no satisfying explanation, we can lean on God’s character and promises. The story of Job and the words of Romans 8 affirm that God’s care remains even when His reasons are hidden. As one young survivor of the Texas flood expressed hope and compassion amid her trauma, so too are we called to endure with faith and tenderness. In moments of heartbreak, we may not get over the pain, but by God’s grace, we can get through it—believing that one day, we will understand it all by and by.