7 Inspiring Ways to Turn Tragedy into Opportunity

Do you wonder how to turn tragedy into opportunity? Is this possible and how can we create opportunities from our tragedies?

Nobody wants to experience tragedies and suffer.

We hear about tragedies; we read about tragic events, but we also push away the reality that tragedies may come into our lives.

But God redeems suffering and helps us turn tragedy into opportunity.

What Is a Tragedy

What is a tragedy? The Dictionary defines tragedy as: “an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.”

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, tragedy is “a very sad event or situation, especially one involving death or suffering.”

Tragedies bring intense suffering, pain, grief, sadness, and loss of things and people we cherish. They often raise a lot of questions and doubts about the meaning of suffering and God’s justice and love. Such tragic events pierce to the core of our souls and shake our faith and trust in God.

Of course, nobody wants this package. I didn’t want it either. I’ve always thought such things happen to other people, not to me, and not to my family.

Why should God allow me to go through immense losses and intense suffering? What did I do wrong?

It seemed the more I grew in my devotion to God, the more I followed Him and committed to His ways, the harder my life became.

Did you experience this, too?

Tragedies in My Life

The first tragedy we experienced in my family was my father’s massive stroke, leaving him paralyzed and bedridden for nearly 16 years, and turning my mother into his main care-giver.

This disrupted our family and placed on us an enormous burden to carry. I still remember the mixture of piercing sorrow, utter helplessness, and anger at seeing my father disintegrating, physically and mentally.

Another tragedy in my life was that I couldn’t become a mother despite years of fervent prayers, doctors’ appointments, medical procedures, and deep soul anguish that led to panic attacks and anxiety disorder. Nothing helped. God’s obvious answer was “No”.

And lastly, I faced my worst fear: a thought that I didn’t allow myself even to think. I faced the unexpected and premature death of my beloved husband, who was my best friend, my partner, and my closest person on this earth.

My heart was ripped apart. I needed months, even years, to accept this new reality.

Why, God, why? What is the purpose and meaning of all this suffering?

Three Powerful Truths to Turn Tragedy Into Opportunity

I am surely not the only person asking this question. In the Bible, Job, the person who experienced the most tragedies in a short period, cried out his “Why” day and night to the Lord.

I cried out to the Lord, too, praying, lamenting, asking questions, demanding answers.

The Lord was with me, even if I didn’t acknowledge this all the time. But the Holy Spirit was working in my shattered soul, cleaning the debris, forming new ground, and molding new shapes.

Slowly, I emerged out of the darkness, stepping on three major truths that helped me to turn my tragedies into opportunities.

#1 Acceptance of God’s Plan for Our Lives (the Good and Bad!)

Acceptance is difficult, and often it is a gradual process.

We expect good things to happen in our lives (and this is okay) but when we study the Bible, we see that God often tested His servants through suffering.

The trials and tribulations prepared them for the service and ministry God had for them. This kept them humble and dependent.

Listen to Job’s wise words: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Job 2:10, NIV

#2 God Is in Control and We Can Trust His Sovereignty

Leaning on this truth makes acceptance easier.

Whatever happens in the believer’s life is under God’s control and care. It is part of His plan in which He makes all things (good and bad) work and contribute to the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

God is in control. He is sovereign over everything. He writes our stories. More important, He redeems our tragic stories.

There is meaning with God, and there is purpose. With Him, we can turn tragedy into opportunity.

#3 It Matters What We Do with Our Suffering

Friend, it matters what we do with our suffering. We have a choice.

Shall we surrender our pain and shattered hearts to God, asking Him to redeem it and bring purpose out of the chaos?

Are we determined to be used by God and let our tragedies be used by Him to bring comfort and hope to others, too?

This was a turning point for me. When I told the Lord I didn’t want to suffer in vain and asked Him to heal me and bless others through me and my stories, something in my heart shifted.

My feet stepped on a road to freedom, healing, and purpose. My trust in the Lord’s good plans and wisdom deepened.

We can Turn Tragedy into Opportunity

When we submit our tragedies and pain to God, asking Him to do His will in our lives, this opens new opportunities for us. We learn to turn tragedy into opportunity.

#1 Opportunity to Serve and Honor God

Tragedies allow us to test and prove our faithfulness to Jesus in suffering. This, in turn, is one of the most powerful testimonies a person can have.

It is easy to follow Jesus when we receive what we want and life is smooth.

But what happens when life throws us into the flames of suffering? Will our faith come forth shining like gold? 1 Peter 1:7

When we remain faithful in suffering, this brings honor and glory to God and He opens for us new ways to serve Him.

#2 Opportunity to Love God and Others Better

Tragedies have the enormous potential to perfect our love and to turn us into mature lovers of God and others.

Grief, pain, and loss enlarge and stretch our hearts, making them more sensitive and empathic.

Our traumatic experiences, in which we have experienced God’s comfort and love, transform us into comforters and encouragers. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

#3 Opportunity to Change

Tragedies expose and shake our hearts to the core. In the aftermath of destruction, we have the opportunity to rebuild with God’s help.

This is the time to clean debris and let go of things, attitudes, mindsets, and even relationships that have hindered us.

In the process of healing, we learn to let go and to adopt new, life-giving ways of thinking and living.

#4 Opportunity to Grow

Tragedies give us also the opportunity to grow – spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

We grow spiritually when we team up with the Holy Spirit and cooperate with Him in His transformative work.

When we choose to draw near to God in our suffering and pain, God comes nearer, too.

He breathes life and strength into our desolate places and turns them into places of growth, new blessings, new strength, and new life. Psalm 84:6-7

How God Redeemed My Suffering

God didn’t leave me to suffer in vain. He carried me faithfully through each one of my tragedies and He brought healing, amazing growth, and transformation.

I am in awe of how God changed me, my life, and the lives of my loved ones. God helped me see and taste the precious fruit of my suffering and there is much more to come.

If you want to learn more about this, my book, “Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings,” is for you.

Friend, if you suffer today, submit your suffering to God and trust Him for redemption and restoration. God redeems suffering and is faithful.

Author

Hadassah Treu