Hey, folks, my heart’s heavy today. I heard about the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska and it broke my heart, a 23-year-old Ukrainian lassy who fled the war in her homeland, only to have her life taken away on a train journey in Charlotte, North Carolina. Man, that just hits you hard, doesn’t it?

Iryna was a beautiful soul, an artist who painted joy into people’s homes, she had loved and worked with animals, and had this knack for bringing light to everyone around her. At just 23, she had so much life ahead of her. And then, in a senseless act of violence, a man named Decarlos Brown, 34 years old, took her life. They say Decarlos was homeless, struggling with schizophrenia, and had a history of mental health issues. Now, that doesn’t make what he did okay, not by a long shot. Evil is evil, and this was a tragedy.

You look at something like this, and you wonder, “Lord, why? How do we make sense of it?” I think about the prison system in the States, much like here in the UK, I suppose, there are programs out there, like counselling and some mental health units, but they’re so overstretched.

When someone like Decarlos gets released, there’s often no solid plan to help them get back on their feet with proper care. It’s a mess, and it breaks my heart to see how it can lead to more pain.

So, what do we do with this? How does Jesus want us to respond? Let’s just open up the Word and let God speak to us, because He’s got answers, even for the toughest stuff like this.

First, God sees your pain, and He’s right there with you. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” When you hear about Iryna’s family grieving, or you feel that ache in your own heart, know that God’s not far off, He’s close, ready to comfort.

Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). He gets it. He feels our sorrow. So, go ahead and pour out your heart to Him, like the psalmist did: “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!” (Psalm 130:1-2). He’s listening, folks.

Second, the Bible is clear that evil is real, and God hates it. Habakkuk cried out, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ and You will not save” (Habakkuk 1:2). Sounds like something we might say today, doesn’t it? But God’s not ignoring this. He sees every injustice, and He’s got a day coming when He’ll set it all right. Romans 12:19 tells us, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” The authorities are doing their part—Decarlos faces serious charges, maybe even the death penalty—but ultimately, God’s the righteous Judge. We can trust Him with justice, and we should pray for changes in our systems, like better mental health care, to stop these tragedies before they happen.

Now, here’s the tough one: Jesus calls us to love, even when it’s hard. He said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you” (Matthew 5:44). That doesn’t mean we excuse what Decarlos did, absolutely not. But when I think about a guy lost in mental illness, homeless, and broken, I see someone Jesus loves too.

In John 8, when that crowd wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery, Jesus stepped in with grace and truth, saying, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Maybe for Decarlos, that looks like praying for real help, mental health programs that work, like those therapy and reentry services some prisons try to offer.

As Christians, we can push for a society that shows Christ’s love by helping people heal, not just locking them up and forgetting them.

Finally, let’s hold onto hope. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Now, don’t get me wrong, nothing about Iryna’s death is good.

It’s awful! But God’s got a way of bringing light out of darkness. Her story’s got people talking, about safety on trains, about helping refugees like Iryna, who came here in 2022, escaping war, about fixing mental health care.

Folks held a candlelight vigil for her, celebrating her beautiful life. We can honour her by supporting ministries that help refugees or pushing for better community care. And one day, Jesus is coming back, and He promises, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4). That’s our hope, folks.

So, let’s pray, for Iryna’s family, for justice, for healing in our broken world. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Lean into Him today.

If this tragedy’s stirred your heart, open up the Word, talk to the Lord, and maybe share in the comments how He’s speaking to you.

God bless you all,

Peter