Cross View Blog

Milwaukee. Buffalo. Laguna. And now, tragically, Uvalde, Texas. These have all been the sites of mass shootings in the last month. And as the reports of each new incident are shared, so many of us are again filled with anguish, confusion, anger, fear, and hopelessness. Tragedies like this are difficult to make sense of, so together we sit, empathize, grieve, and mourn.

It’s obvious our world is full of brokenness and in desperate need of hope and healing. As we sit with each other in the midst of this, think about God’s Word from Revelation 21: 3-6:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

With hope, we look to a future with God where there’s no more death or mourning or crying or pain. We look forward to a future full of God’s perfect presence and peace.

In the meantime, we know that, apart from God, nothing we can do will fully relieve the fear and anxiety that events such as these can cause, especially for children. If you have children who are struggling, you’re no doubt spending time listening to them, talking with them, loving them, and reminding them how important they are to you and to God (Mt 19:14; 18:6). But if you could use some extra guidance to help kids process recent events, here’s a list of resources to help you do that:

• Group Ministries – Helping Children Process the School Shooting in Texas
• 6 Secrets to Raising Fearless Kids in a Fear-Filled World
• Common Sense Media: How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Talking to Children About a Shooting
• National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children About Violence

Finally, here are two important things we can do in response to the recent mass shootings in our country:

1. Thoughtfully, respectfully, and lovingly get involved in your community, and work towards solutions that address all sides of these tragedies.
2. Pray. Pray for our nation, our children, all who are struggling at this time, and our leaders.

God, our hearts break, and we shake our heads in disgust and disbelief at the senseless deaths caused by gun violence, and all violence. We pray that You would heal those who are wounded, comfort all who mourn, and protect all those who are vulnerable to violence. Let Your presence be known and Your peace be felt. We boldly pray that You would bring an end to the violence that surrounds us. God, give us Your hope, shower us with Your love, and help us to be a light in this time of darkness. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.