Faith Through The Storm: How To Keep Trusting God During Natural Disasters
Our faith is often shaken when facing loss and suffering, such as during natural disasters. Amidst the unpredictability of nature, we are reminded of something that will never be destroyed by disasters - God's love and mercy. In this blog post, I reflect on how we can remain faithful during natural disasters.
HEALING GRACES & REFLECTIONS
Sheri Anne Maximille Cabañes
9/5/20257 min read
As the skies turn dark and gloomy.
As the wind blows wildly.
As the raindrops pour like they would never stop.
As the flood waters rise higher.
And as the earth shakes.
We find ourselves scared and helpless. We might ask a hard question: "Where is God in all this chaos? What is He trying to tell us through these natural disasters?"
Natural disasters are a part of life. No one can predict when they will come or the impact they will have on our lives. Join me in this blog post as I reflect on remaining faithful during natural disasters.
Inside these reflections:
Living Through The Storm
I was seven back then. I was happy with the cancellation of classes due to the storm.
Just when I thought I could just play all day, floodwaters filled our house. We had to move some of our belongings and stayed on the second floor of our house for a few days.
The destruction brought by the storm affected me not just physically, but also emotionally. I grew up fearing heavy rains and strong winds.
Even until now, my heart hurts when watching tragic news about natural disasters - homes destroyed, livelihoods gone, and lives lost.
I could only offer a silent prayer to those who were suffering. I often wonder, why is God letting unfortunate events happen?
Are Natural Disasters God's Punishment?
Having to survive through floods several times made me question my faith.
I remember a time when I was walking teary-eyed through a knee-deep flood while going to the hospital where I work. I asked God, "Why do You let this happen? I just wanted to do my job and serve others. But why do I have to walk through this flood?"
I was thinking about what I did wrong to deserve that hardship. Was I being punished?
Like what happened during Noah's time, God brought a flood because man had turned evil and filled the world with violence.
"I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die." (Genesis 6:17)
The answer did not come to me at that moment, but after a few years of experiencing storms, floods, and earthquakes. Years of reflecting on my experiences with natural disasters made me realize that God is not punishing us.
Why Natural Disasters Happen
God does not let natural disasters happen to punish us or make us suffer. Natural disasters are part of our environment. Like the human body, the earth also undergoes normal processes, including weather changes, shifts in tectonic plates, volcanic activity, and tidal waves.
The devastating effects of natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, are caused by human activities, including mining, cutting trees, and dumping trash in rivers and seas. The things we do that destroy nature have a way of coming back to us.
Natural disasters and their damaging effects are not God's punishment. It is our choices that harm the environment and exacerbate the destruction brought by natural disasters.
God Weeps With Us
Our lack of faith makes it easy to question or blame God when bad things happen to us. I, too, am guilty of this. The pain we feel from losing our home, a loved one, or our livelihood due to natural disasters can be overwhelming to the point of losing our trust in God. But we must not let this happen.
We can start by acknowledging the pain and the sorrow.
It's okay to cry.
It's okay to ask questions.
It's okay to feel mad.
God knows and understands our feelings. He weeps with us through every painful situation.
Psalm 34:18 reminds us, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit."
God is not a distant observer. He hears our cries. He will wipe our tears and comfort us in those difficult times.
God's Love In Times of Crisis
We often see acts of kindness during natural disasters:
Rescuers risk their lives to save people who are trapped and in danger.
Volunteers in evacuation centers provide food and medical attention for the victims.
Many people send money or relief goods to those affected by natural disasters.
The entire community prays for everyone's safety.
God's love is reflected in the people who step forward in times of natural disasters. He works in their hearts and hands to choose not to look away from the sufferings. This is how God tells us that we are not alone.
As stated in Isaiah 43:2, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." God is always with us, even during natural disasters.
The Gift of Resilience
As the storm passes and the flood subsides, the sun shines and the rainbow appears in the sky. Our family moved our things back to the ground floor of our house. We try to repair things that were destroyed by the storm - roof, furniture, and appliances. We were able to fix some and throw away those that cannot be repaired.
The storm may have damaged our house, but it did not crush our spirits. After all those storms and floods, we are still grateful that we are safe and able to get back to our lives again.
Looking back, these experiences helped develop my resilience. As we face natural disasters, we learn to adapt and recover afterwards. We become stronger and hopeful that after every storm, the sun will shine again.
Romans 5:3-4 beautifully explains God's gift of resilience: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Resilience does not mean being invincible or optimistic at all times. It is choosing to stay strong and bounce back from life's challenges. It is God's grace that allows us to get up and move forward every time we fall.
Beyond Resilience: Disaster Preparedness and Good Stewardship
Resilience is a remarkable trait that gives us the strength to recover from the effects of natural disasters. While resilience is good, it may not be enough to help us through the next storm, tsunami, hurricane, earthquake, or volcanic eruption. We also need to do our part in preparing for the next disaster and taking care of our environment.
God calls us to be good stewards of all His creations. It was mentioned in Genesis 2:15, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
We, humans, are responsible for taking care of the earth. This includes stopping activities that harm the environment, such as deforestation, mining, dynamite fishing, and excessive use of plastics and other materials that pollute the environment. Preserving the environment helps reduce the destructive effects of natural disasters.
Aside from caring for the environment, we must also be prepared, as nature is unpredictable and disasters may come at any time. This can include:
Preparing emergency supply kits containing food, medical supplies, a flashlight, extra batteries, blankets, and clothes.
Learning about basic first aid and emergency response.
Staying informed about the latest updates on storms, volcanic activity, and evacuation plans.
Building relationships with neighbors for strong community support.
Supporting community projects on disaster preparedness.
For those who are fortunate not to be affected by natural disasters, there are many ways we can help those who are affected. We don't need to donate a huge amount of money. We can give some of our old but still good-to-use clothes, blankets, and toys. We can offer our skills to help. Health professionals can volunteer to provide first aid care for the victims. Chefs can offer to cook meals for those in the evacuation centers. Communities need carpenters to build and repair houses. Even saying a prayer is a huge help.
Small acts of kindness can go a long way. By helping those affected by natural disasters, we become instruments of God's love and serve as a reminder to them that they are not alone during hard times.
Staying Faithful Despite Disasters
While we pray that disasters won't come, chances are they likely will, due to the unpredictability of nature. Faith does not mean we won't experience disasters or hardships. Real faith means acknowledging suffering while still believing that God weeps with us and loves us. God did not promise us a world without suffering, but He promised to be with us in every trial and hardship, even through storms and earthquakes.
Natural disasters remind us that everything in this world is temporary. They help remember what truly matters. When everything is destroyed, let us hold on to the indestructible - our Almighty God. He will always be our refuge and source of strength.
Ending this post with Psalm 46:1-2, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change; though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam; though the mountains tremble with its tumult."
May we all emerge from the storms together with the help of our loving God. 🙏🏻
Have you or someone you know been affected by a natural disaster?
In what ways has God helped you recover?
I'd love to hear your story. Feel free to reach out through my contact page.
