Finding God in the Wake of the Storm
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“Are you guys ok?”
I puzzled at the early morning text. Why is my friend asking if we’re safe?
A text from my neighbor clued me in. “A pine tree fell and damaged your shed and maybe your house.”
My oldest daughter and I were out of the state for a college preview when I received these messages. I had no idea our family back home was in danger. We’d heard hurricane Helene was coming, but we live hundreds of miles from Florida. Our schools had closed, but we assumed it was just a precautionary measure.
I needed to call my family.
Relief washed over me when I heard my husband’s voice. “We’re safe. We’ve been camped out in the hallway for the past several hours.”
He went on to describe a storm unlike anything we’d ever experienced. The wind was so fierce they could feel it in the house with the doors and windows closed. Rainwater came into the living room because the storm blew it under the windowsills. A tree fell on my husband’s car, but thankfully none landed on our house.
My daughter and I finally made it home after several GPS reroutes, and tears filled my eyes as I drove into our city. Billboards stripped of their ads. The side of a building lying on the ground next to a tangle of broken power lines. Cars crushed and houses cut in half by massive fallen pines.
Never had I witnessed such devastation. Oh, I’d seen pictures and videos of hurricane damage before. But this was my city. These were my neighbors. That was our car.
In the days that followed, I experienced a jumble of emotions. Grief for my friends over what they’d lost. Relief that we hadn’t lost much. Guilt over feeling such relief. Shame for being sad and anxious when others had it worse. Gratitude for the hundreds of different ways our community banded together to show love.
As I processed all these feelings in prayer, I sensed God’s Spirit saying to mine, Look for what is constant and anchor yourself there.
Life’s storms will come, both the physical and the metaphorical ones, but I’m thankful God’s heart never changes. In the wake of our storms, we can anchor ourselves to who he is and lean into his gracious presence.
Here are four qualities of God I’m holding onto as we recover from hurricane Helene:
1. God Is Welcoming
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16).
“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8).
Jesus understands the pain of living in a world that breaks our hearts (Hebrews 4:14-16). He felt anger and sadness, as well as joy, when he walked our planet (Mark 3:5, John 11:35, Luke 10:21). He invites us to bring our whole selves into his presence.
Pour out our hearts.
Describe our emotions.
Bring our questions into the light.
For me, meeting with God in this vulnerable place brings deep healing and renewal. I experience him as my safety, a refuge from all that rages on the outside. I hear his inaudible voice deep within my soul. I gain new perspective on my situation, as well a fresh understanding of his heart.
2. God Is Compassionate
“Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things” (Mark 6:34).
Earlier in this passage, Mark explains that Jesus and his disciples were weary. Ministry kept them so busy they didn’t even have time to eat. Also, Jesus had just received word of his cousin John’s martyrdom. Jesus announced it was time for a break as he led his disciples away on a retreat. But the crowds saw where he was headed. They rushed to meet him there. Despite his own exhaustion and grief, Jesus saw them with compassion and lavished them with loving care.
God’s heart is full of kindness and grace. He moves toward us, not away from us, in our need. When we bring him our weary, wounded souls, he meets us with compassion.
3. God Is Present
“[King Nebuchadnezzar] said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods’” (Daniel 3:25).
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
When we feel we’re drowning in deep waters, he is Emmanuel, God with us. When life seems like one fiery trial after another, the Son of God stands beside us in the flames. When we’re overwhelmed and exhausted from carrying burdens, he’s the gentle, humble Savior who offers rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30).
He’s with us in the storm. He’s with us in its wake. He’s with us in the rubble. And he’s with us in the rebuilding.
Even when the darkness tries to convince us otherwise, our God is always with us.
God Is Our Source
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Storms have a way of reminding us of our humanity. They can leave us feeling powerless and empty, anxious about the future and unsure how to move forward. In our time of need, God calls us close. He longs to lavish upon us the riches of his heart and the provision of heaven’s resources.
His Spirit is the Source of all we need. He invites us to trade our anxiety for his peace by talking with him about our concerns (Philippians 4:6-7).
Do you have physical needs? Bring them to the One who fed the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread (Matthew 14).
Are you desperate for direction, in need of hope and heaven’s perspective? Talk to the One who holds all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).
Do you long to help others heal, but feel you have nothing left to give? Let Jesus fill you with his love and strength until it overflows in practical ways to those around you (John 13:34).
Like the wise man who built his house on the rock, may we anchor ourselves to God’s faithfulness in every storm.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Warren Faidley
