Pray for victims' loved ones and those using pain for politics

America is reeling again from violence resulting in the deaths of people who were just going about their business. And, as is par for the course, we are witnessing more politicizing of these senseless tragedies.

I have not engaged the media in hours of coverage after the shooting at an El Paso Walmart on Saturday and outside a nightclub in Dayton, Ohio, early Sunday morning. I just don't do it anymore, but even without all of that, I could have predicted it: countdown to the political finger-pointing by political pawns to blame the other side and advance their own agendas.

We do this repeatedly, and nothing ever changes. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. While people whose lives were cut short and loved ones whose lives have lost meaning demand funeral arrangements, the finger-pointers demand answers from their political opponents.

The same conversations occur: gun control; mental health; "those Republicans;" "no, them-there Democrats;" blah, blah, blah. In a week, those conversations are buried, and everyone goes back to arguing about something else -- until the next maniac shoots up the next supercenter, school, synagogue or wherever else evil leads him.

As much practice as talking heads have gotten in assessing the problem, not many have perfected the diagnosis. The problem is not a political problem, a gun problem, an anger problem, a mental health problem. The problem is a spiritual problem. Since Cain killed Abel, there's nothing new under the sun. Fallen man is capable of killing fallen man, and there isn't enough medication in the world to stop these tragedies.

We used to sing a song back in the day with lyrics that said, "In Christ alone ..." I can stop right there because those three words provide the answer to the problem. More of this, that, and the third won't solve anything. More of the One who changes hearts will -- and only He will.

Chants of "Not one more" at post-El Paso protests in Washington, DC, didn't make a lick of difference, as just hours later, there was, in fact, one more that left nine dead -- this time in Dayton. Slogans and blame-fixing don't stop evil people from doing evil deeds.

My heart breaks with the brokenhearted, and I pray my prayers reach a place that only prayers can. I pray that spouses, parents and children find solace in the midst of the mess that has become all too common. I pray the scars of those who survived the most unimaginable tragedy can be healed by a Savior whose own scars tell us there's hope. And I pray for those who, sadly, appear to delight in the opportunity these tragedies provide to do what they do -- disparage, discredit and disgrace, all to demonize dissenters.

The only thing as sad as knowing families have been torn apart is knowing others are using their pain to score political points. I hate to say it, but it's Exhibit A of "never let a crisis go to waste." Another loss is another opportunity to win an argument, to make the other side look guilty. It's like the race card, only on steroids, and like the race card, this unholy habit is not a game. I continue to hope that we can make progress, but my hope is not in any program, any platform and certainly not in any politician. My hope is in a God who alone can take a mess and somehow make a miracle out of it. And today, there are several hurting people who are crying out for just that.

Adrienne Ross is owner of Adrienne Ross Communications and a former Southeast Missourian editorial board member.