About Hurricanes and Disasters: Questions That Make People Uncomfortable

With Hurricane Harvey behind us, Irma coming at us, and two more brewing in our seas (not to mention the massive earthquake off the coast of Mexico), people are turning toward God.

Some are praying for protection, some are asking why. Some blame him. Some are just angry–all the more reason to stay away from him. 

I’ve seen believers and non-believers alike offer a variety of explanations from “it’s God’s wrath and judgment being unleashed on a country that has turned its back on God” to “God reminding us of his power and our need for him” to “God displaying his glory and majesty” to “it’s just man-made climate change.”

But each of those explanations leads to even more questions.

Just Thinking Out Loud Here

For example, if it’s God’s wrath and judgment, then why does the bible say that God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved? (John 3:17)

And then in 2 Peter 3:9, we read God is not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance.

If what we read in these verses is true, then why would God send judgement in the form of destruction and death? Yes, there will be a final judgement, but does he send “mini” judgements meanwhile, just to keep us on our toes? 

And then what about the people who are living righteously before God, but whose lives and homes have been (or will be) turned upside down? What about the churches and organizations who are doing good, serving people, showing God’s love to people? Do they deserve this judgement? Did they need to be kept on their toes? Or do we write them off as casualties of God’s judgement and wrath?

I wonder….would a God who keeps a sparrow under his watchful eye, allow so many seemingly careless casualties of human life, who are far more valuable to Him (Luke 12:6-7)?

Who is this God Really?

Jesus says, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). And that He only does what He sees His Father do.

Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, and calmed the storm. 

He only did what he saw His Father doing.

If His Father was causing storms, devastation, and sickness, wouldn’t He be doing the opposite of what the Father was doing?

Doesn’t He say a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:24)?

If God causes these storms just so we would turn to him, wouldn’t he be working against himself?

Wouldn’t that be like a doctor causing sickness just so he could help his patients and prove what a great doctor he is?

God’s Sovereignty

We accept God’s sovereign will and His omnipotence. In our mind, everything that happens happens because it is God’s will. He has allowed it. 

But then I go back to John 3:17 and 2 Peter 3:9 and John 14:9. Is what God desires for us in His heart what always happens on earth?

Or is there some other force that is destroying, killing, and stealing what God has created for our good? 

The devil is the prince of this world ( John 14:30). The authority of the kingdoms of the world has been given to him (Luke 4:6). Even creation is subject to him. (Romans 8:21-23)

Does this somehow undermine God’s sovereignty? If not, is it then ultimately God’s doing?

I wonder if, instead of undermining his sovereignty, it demonstrates it all the more powerfully when he uses it all for good (Romans 8:28) and makes all things new (Rev 21:5).

Like the cross. It was evil that did the work, through the choices of man and his corrupt thinking. But God’s good, perfect, loving will prevailed.

But, and More But…

But if he loves us, if he’s all powerful, why doesn’t he just stop the evil, the destruction? 

If he did, what would become of mankind’s free will? His ability to make choices? It’s what people all over the world value above all things, and are willing to die for: freedom. 

Freedom of choice. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. These are some of the most prized human rights.

I don’t know if I’ll ever fully understood how God’s sovereign will intersects with man’s free will. 

I know He is a God of righteousness AND justice.

Justice is punishment for those who do wrong, and compensation for those who have been wronged. Righteousness is perfect goodness, perfect morality, perfect innocence, perfect love.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne (Psalm 97:2). Without one, His throne topples. His sovereignty is undermined.

How do we reconcile those two, knowing He is also a merciful God?

I wish there was a way to tie up all these questions and answers and knowledge in a neat little package that fits comfortably on my shelf.

Isaiah 43:16: God makes a way, where there is no way. 

Ironically, We’re Left With a Choice

Will we choose to believe our experiences? Will we choose to believe what our eyes see? And our own human logic? Or do we believe God, believe what we don’t see with our eyes? Even if what we see appears to be the opposite of what God says.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Things. Not. Seen.

Even if we see death, destruction, devastation, do we let that tell us about God’s heart, God’s will? Or do we let Jesus’s words, His life, and His actions tell us?

“If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. He who has seen me, has seen the Father. ” (John 14:7,9)

I wonder if Jesus is God’s answer to the neat little package we so desperately want. In Jesus, God gave us a peek into how He reconciles righteousness and justice with perfect love and mercy.

So then fix we our eyes on Jesus. And throw off anything that entangles and hinders. We hold on to our hope, our faith. If our eyes tell us differently,  we don’t give up so easily. We persevere. (Hebrews 12:1).

And we don’t blame God, we don’t judge others, we don’t condemn.

In Jesus, God paid too high of a price to redeem His beloved creation to just wipe them out in one fell sweep.

So trust in His mercy, His righteousness, His perfect justice. Keep running the race to draw closer to Him, to advance His Kingdom, and be His light in a dark world.