RC Sproul on faith in suffering...

In The Invisible Hand, reformed evangelical theologian, RC Sproul writes about how he and his wife Vesta survived “the worst train wreck in the history of Amtrak, the crash of the “Sunset Limited”, which had plunged into the waters of an Alabama bayou. This wreck killed more people than have been killed in all the other train wrecks in Amtrak’s history combined.”

When we arrived home in Orlando, we had just entered our front door and set down our luggage in the foyer when the doorbell rang. We turned to answer the door and found a camera crew from the television station and a group of people pointing microphones at us. The reporters asked all kinds of questions, like, “Why do you think this happened?” “Why do you think your life was spared?” “What did you learn theologically from this tragedy?” I told the newsmen I had no earthly idea why the accident happened. I also told them I had no idea why we were spared and that I hadn’t learned anything theologically from the wreck that I didn’t already know. I said we had certainly experienced afresh the tender mercy of God and were profoundly grateful for His providential care. That doesn’t mean the survivors were better off than those who perished. Surely some of those who died that morning were ushered into glory and were far better off than we were at that moment! (pp. 149-155)