SOONER or later, almost everyone is hit by some type of tragedy. That includes people who seem to have everything.

THE BIBLE SAYS:

“The swift do not always win the race, nor do the mighty win the battle, nor do the wise always have the food, nor do the intelligent always have the riches, nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all.”​—Ecclesiastes 9:11.

The question, then, is not whether you will face adversity but how you will react when you do. For instance:

• What if you lost all your possessions in a natural disaster?

• What if you were diagnosed with a life-threatening illness?

• What if you lost a loved one in death?

Jehovah’s Witnesses, the publishers of this magazine, believe that the Bible can help you not only to cope when tragedy strikes but also to have a solid basis for hope. (Romans 15:4) Consider three experiences that illustrate how.

On Friday, March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck Japan, claiming more than 15,000 lives and causing over $200 billion (U.S.) in damage. On being warned of the impending tsunami, 32-year-old Kei found safety on higher ground. “The next morning, I went back home to collect what I could,” he says, “but everything had been washed out to sea, including my apartment. All that was left was the foundation.

“It took some time for me to grasp that I had lost not just individual items but my entire environment. It was all gone​—my car; the computers I used for my work; the tables, chairs, and sofa I had used to entertain guests; my keyboard, guitar, ukulele, and flute; my equipment for working in watercolors, oils, and pastels; all my paintings and drawings.”

COPING WITH TRAGEDY

Try to focus on what you still have rather than on what you lost. The Bible says: “Even when a person has an abundance, his life does not result from the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15) Kei recalls his situation: “At first,” he says, “I made a list of what I wanted, but this just reminded me of everything that had washed away. I decided to include on my list only the things that I really needed, and I updated it as my needs were cared for. That list helped me to reestablish my life.”

Rather than become self-absorbed, use your experience to comfort others. “I received a lot of help from both public relief work and personal assistance, but as I grew accustomed to receiving, I began to lose my self-respect,” Kei says. “Then, I called to mind the Bible’s statement at Acts 20:35 that ‘there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’ Since I was limited in what I could give materially, I set out to give words of encouragement to other victims of this disaster. Showing generosity in this way was a big help to me.”

Pray to God for practical wisdom to deal with your circumstances. Kei trusted the Bible’s assurance that God will “pay attention to the prayer of the destitute.” (Psalm 102:17) You can do the same.

Did you know? The Bible foretells a time when no one will need to worry about loss as a result of a natural disaster.a​—Isaiah 65:21-23.

Mabel, in Argentina, led an active life and worked as a physical-rehabilitation therapist. In 2007, she began to feel especially tired and to have severe headaches daily. “I went to several doctors and tried all kinds of medications,” she says, “but nothing helped.” Finally, Mabel had an MRI scan, which showed that she had a brain tumor. She says: “I was stunned! I couldn’t believe that I had been living with this enemy inside me.

“Still, I didn’t really understand how serious my situation was until after I had surgery. When I woke up in intensive care, I couldn’t move. All I could do was stare at the ceiling. Before the surgery I had been active and independent. Suddenly I could do nothing. My days in intensive care were filled with confusion and noise from medical equipment, emergency alarms, and moans from other patients. I felt as though I could breathe the pain and suffering in the air.

“Today, I have recuperated to a certain degree. I can walk without help and even go out by myself at times. But I have double vision and still lack muscle coordination.”

COPING WITH TRAGEDY

Maintain a positive viewpoint. At Proverbs 17:22, the Bible says: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit saps one’s strength.” Mabel recalls: “During my recovery, I faced the same challenges that my own patients had faced. The exercises were very painful, and at times I thought of giving up. I had to force myself to dismiss such negative thinking, knowing that the effort would eventually bring good results.”

Build hope in order to endure. “From the Bible, I knew why tragedies occur,” says Mabel. “But I also knew that with each passing day, we are closer to the time when pain will be gone forever.”a

Recognize God’s concern for you as an individual. (1 Peter 5:7) Mabel recalls how this helped her: “When they took me in for surgery, I experienced the truth of Isaiah 41:10, where God says: ‘Do not be afraid, for I am with you.’ I felt an immense peace knowing that Jehovah God cared about what happened to me.”

Did you know? The Bible teaches that a time will come when mankind will no longer be plagued by health problems.​—Isaiah 33:24; 35:5, 6.

Ronaldo, in Brazil, was in a car accident that took the lives of five family members, including his mother and father. “I was in the hospital for two months before I was told that they had died in the crash,” he says.

“At first, I could not believe that they were gone. How could they all be dead? Once I realized that it was true, I was shocked. I had never felt such pain. In the days that followed, I felt that life was not worth living without them. I cried every day for months! I blamed myself for letting someone else drive the car. If only I had been driving, they might still be alive.

“Sixteen years have passed, and I have been able to get back to my routine of life. However, their tragic death has left a void in my heart that has yet to be filled.”

COPING WITH TRAGEDY

Grieve over your loss. The Bible says that there is “a time to weep.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4) Ronaldo says: “Every time I felt like crying, I allowed myself to do so. Fighting back tears was futile anyway, and I felt relief afterward.” Of course, not everyone grieves in the same way. So if you do not outwardly display sorrow, this does not mean that you are suppressing your emotions or that you should force tears.

Avoid isolating yourself. (Proverbs 18:1) “I tried not to give in to the urge to remain socially isolated,” says Ronaldo. “People visited me, and I welcomed them. I also poured out my feelings to my wife and close friends.”

Remain calm if someone says painful words. These might include expressions such as “It was for the best.” Ronaldo recalls, “Some comments that were meant to comfort me had the opposite effect.” Rather than dwelling on sayings that hurt, follow the Bible’s wise advice: “Do not take to heart every word that people say.”​—Ecclesiastes 7:21.

Learn the truth about the condition of the dead. Ronaldo says: “At Ecclesiastes 9:5, the Bible shows that the dead are not suffering, and that fact gives me an inner peace. The Bible also teaches that there is going to be a resurrection and that those who are dead will be brought back to life. So I think of the loved ones I have lost in death as if they were away on a trip.”​—Acts 24:15.

Did you know? The Bible promises a time when God “will swallow up death forever.”a​—Isaiah 25:8.