Scripture tells us that God never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He is our refuge and our strength, and a help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). He is our Shepherd: guiding us, providing for us and protecting us (Psalm 23).

So how do we rectify these two things? On one hand is the absolute truth of God’s divine protection and provision, and on the other hand is the fact that our Christian brothers and sisters sometimes die in sudden, unexpected and tragic ways.

Life as a Christian isn’t easy. Nowhere in Scripture are we promised a life free of pain, suffering and tragedy. In fact, Scripture states the exact opposite.

People have struggled to explain this concept for millennia. During Job’s time, there was a misunderstanding that is expressed by Job’s friends that somehow Job deserved what was happening to him as a result of his sins—basic cause and effect. Much of the book of Job is spent discoursing this concept back and forth between Job, his friends and God. Buddhists have taught the concept of Karma for several thousand years—that a person’s actions have long-range consequences. Good deeds lead to good karma, bad deeds lead to bad Karma, like a cosmic bank account that credits and debits your future with each action and every consequence however unrelated it might be, is a result of the balance of your account.

Jesus Christ ran into this line of thought during his earthly ministry when two tragic situations occurred in Judea. In one situation, a number of brethren from Galilee were killed and their blood was mingled with the sacrifices by Pontius Pilate. In another, a group of people were killed when the Tower of Siloam collapsed. (Luke 13:1-5) Christ’s point to those gathered was that these people were no worse sinners than anyone else and this wasn’t punishment for a life of sin. He illustrated to those gathered that this fate—death—would come to all men and that they must redeem the time and repent.

These sudden, unexpected and tragic deaths were not a result of these people’s sins . . . instead Christ makes the point that death comes to us all, and we must lead a Kingdom-focused life while we are here.

When Satan tempted Jesus Christ in Mark 4, he quoted a passage from the book of Psalms, where the psalmist praises the Lord for his protection: “No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:10-12).

In Matthew 4, Satan twists this passage to tempt Christ to throw himself from the parapet of the temple—to somehow prove God’s protection. Christ’s simple response to Satan was to quote Deuteronomy 6:16 and a paraphrase of Psalm 95:9 “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”

Christ’s response to Satan was telling. Does God protect his people? Yes He does . . . but if we do something unwise—like throw ourselves from a tall building in order to test God’s protection, there are no guarantees.

If we extrapolate this concept to the modern day—we can’t smoke for 50 years and then question why God didn’t protect us from lung cancer. If a loved one gets into the car without a seatbelt and gets into a horrible accident, and we question why God didn’t protect them, the honest answer is that there are consequences to our choices and we ultimately reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). That is a biblical principle.

Can God protect His people? Absolutely.

Does He always? No.

And that is tough to swallow sometimes as a believer in God. Why didn’t God protect this person in this circumstance? Why didn’t He send an angel to bump their car back on the road? To somehow cushion the fall, preventing an untimely and tragic death?

It’s just not fair! They had faith in Him and served Him as a Christian.

The Jews in Rome during Paul’s time asked these kinds of questions as well, regarding the fairness of God. Why God was working with the gentiles when he promised to be Israel’s God. To answer that question, the apostle Paul responded with other decisions that God made that could be perceived as unfair. His answer is recorded in Romans 9.

“And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, 'The older shall serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.' What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.' So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.' Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens” (Romans 9:10-18, emphasis added).

We don’t always understand why God does what He does—why some live and others do not. The apostle Paul tells the Jews and us in Romans 9 that essentially God will do what He wills, and it really isn’t our place to question why. He will have mercy on whom He chooses to have mercy on, compassion on whom he chooses to have compassion. This is hard to accept.

Life as a Christian isn’t easy. Nowhere in Scripture are we promised a life free of pain, suffering and tragedy. In fact, Scripture states the exact opposite.

In 1 Peter 4:12-17, the apostle Peter tells us not to think it strange when we fall into fiery trials. When we suffer tragedy and difficulty in our lives, we shouldn’t think as though this is some strange thing that has happened to us. Instead, his point to the recipients of his epistle was: "Expect it."

Satan is the god of this age (1 Corinthians 4:4). He has been given control over the earth for a time. As such, the pain, suffering and tragedy that we see in the world around us today is a direct result of his influence. The people of God are not immune from this suffering, tragedy and tears.

However, there is a time in the future when Satan will be put away for eternity. Jesus Christ will return, and the Kingdom of God will be established. As we see recorded in Revelation 21, at this time there will be no more pain, no more suffering, no more tears and no more death.

Sadly, that time is not now, but we can rest assured of fulfillment of God’s promise (Hebrews 6:17-20) and a time when we will see our loved ones again in the wonderful Kingdom of God.