Why, God? What to Keep in Mind During a Natural Disaster

A question to God: “Why?” 5 Important Considerations Before, During, and After a Natural Disaster

A hurricane named Katrina in 2005 brought about this event. 2011 had a “Super Outbreak” of tornadoes, which caused this. We are seeing things unfold in real time in Texas as Hurricane Harvey makes landfall. Both Christians and atheists in America have asked “Why, God?” after each devastating natural catastrophe.
Here are five profound reminders from Beth Ann Baus that might help us move on after tragedy and uncertainty:

• One, we inhabit a damaged planet.

According to the Bible, when sin entered the world, God condemned all of creation. As a result, death is an inevitable part of our existence, and awful things generally occur.

Everything about the climate was ideal before the fall of man. There was no seasonal shift, no significant weather events (such as rain, snow, earthquakes, tornadoes, or tsunamis), and no other unusual occurrences. Prior to the fall of man, equilibrium prevailed. That used to be true, but sin changed everything.
(Check out Romans 8:19-22.)
Natural catastrophes are an inevitable part of life in our flawed planet. For the creation waits with eager expectancy for the revelation of the offspring of God (Romans 8:19-22). For the creation was put through frustration not because it wanted to but because it was the will of the one who put it through frustration, with the end goal being the creation’s own release from decay and incorporation into the freedom and glory of God’s children. Up until now, we know that the whole cosmos has been moaning in anguish similar to that of childbirth.

Keep in mind that this is not our permanent residence. While natural calamities are a fact of life here on Earth, they will not be in the eternal home of God’s children.

• God is the ultimate ruler.

One might dispute whether God really causes or just allows natural catastrophes to occur, but the only conclusion that can be drawn from the Bible is that God is in control of everything that occurs in the natural world. God was certainly behind the plagues that hit Egypt in Exodus. God caused a deluge in the book of Genesis. According to the book of Jonah, God caused a terrible storm at sea.
To quote Job 37:6, “He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the ground,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a great deluge,'” (also see Psalm 147, Amos 4, and Mark 4:9). Have a look at Psalm 147: He makes clouds and rain for the world. The snow he throws about looks like wool, and the cold like ashes. When the harvest was still three months away, God delayed rain from Amos 4:2. I caused it to rain in one town while avoiding another. While some fields received rain, others did not and withered. According to Mark 4:9, Jesus scolded the wind and told the waves, “Quiet! Stop moving! The wind surrendered to the order and faded down.

Take note of how the Scriptures hold God directly responsible for the weather, whether good or terrible. A lot of people are scared of God because of how this portrays him as being impulsive or unreliable. However, the reality is very different. This leads us to the third point we must keep in mind.

• No one can be trusted more than God.

It’s simple to have faith in God when we recall that He is nice and loving, but we also need to keep in mind that He is just. Some find this hard to believe in the midst of natural calamities because of texts like Isaiah 45:7, “I shape the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and produce calamity; I, the Lord, accomplish all these things,” and Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.”
(Check out Isiah 55:8-9)
The world’s natural calamities force us to examine our own values and morals and make judgments about what is fair and what is not. Instead of taking the Bible at face value, we read it through the lens of what we want it to say. But we must keep in mind Isaiah 55:8-9, which reads, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. That which is in the skies is higher than what is on the ground, and so it is with my methods and my thoughts compared to yours.

We can’t be trusted since we’re just as flawed as the rest of nature. There is something wrong with our judgement. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding, as it is written in Proverbs 3:5. And if we can’t put our faith in God, then who can we put it in?

• There is still cause for celebration.

Many people who make it through a natural catastrophe have to deal with the grief of losing close ones in addition to their assets. It may seem counterintuitive to be joyful in the midst of such destruction, but to do so is not to ignore the grief that has been caused. Suffering and pleasure are inseparable companions for God’s children.

For this reason, my friends, while you may have had to experience sadness in various trials for a time now, you greatly rejoice in the Lord. (1 Peter 1:6) This is well shown by Paul. You may read about his many tribulations in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10; although he avoided natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes, the list is still rather long. Take note of the phrase “sorrowful, but always happy” that comes at the conclusion of his litany of hardships.
(Refer to Job 1:19)
Many lessons may be learned from natural catastrophes, such that life is brief, we are fragile, and death is definite. Also brought to mind are the numerous people who have gone missing in our world. Christians bring glory to God, strengthen one another, and share the hope of Christ with the lost when they can find reasons to celebrate even in the face of adversity.

Maybe Job 1:21 is the finest example of how to handle adversity we can learn from. Amidst the devastation of losing everything tangible, as well as his health and his children, his heart’s scream was, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; praised be the name of the Lord.”

• Five, it just gets worse from here.

The natural calamities we are experiencing today are nothing compared to what is to come, as Matthew 24:5-8 makes very apparent. To mislead many is to come in my name, and to claim that I am the Christ. And there will be news of battles and rumors of warfare. Avoid panicking; this is what must happen, but the end is not yet. Famines and earthquakes will hit different parts of the world, and wars between nations and kingdoms are inevitable. These are only the first pangs of labor.

This one verse encapsulates everything I just said. Our fractured world causes growing pains. God is in control, and we can put our faith in him as he encourages us not to worry about what’s happening because it’s for the best. How we handle emergencies may be a witness for Christ and bring glory to God. Paradise is on the horizon, and although there are worse things to come in this life, that’s the good news!
(Refer to Isiah 25:8)
According to Isaiah 25:8-9, “He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe away all tears from all cheeks, and He will erase the dishonor of His people from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.” And in that day, people will declare, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have longed, that He could rescue us.” Here is the promised Messiah, the Lord, on whom our hope rests; let us be joyful and happy in His deliverance.

Join me in prayer:

Though we are sinful and quick to mistrust you in times of tragedy, Father God, we applaud you for being who you are: a God who is completely in control of the universe, who is also righteous and trustworthy, and who deeply loves his children. Help us to always be glad in you and to point to the One who paid the price for our unearned redemption while we witness natural catastrophes develop around us and for those who have been directly impacted by such destruction. Let us always pray, “Lord Jesus, come quickly, because this world is not our home.” Amen.