Hurricanes and God’s Sovereignty
Kirk Cameron recently stated that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are meant for “awe, humility, and repentance.” And he is absolutely correct.
Remember, the Lord caused these storms. Not Satan, not global warming, not mankind, and not Donald Trump (yes, he’s been blamed for Harvey as well). But it is God who hand-crafts hurricanes and sets them on their paths. He is in control of the weather and all its aspects.
The question is why? Many people like to speculate on the reasoning God may have for causing such destruction. You can take the unwise and unbiblical approach like Pat Robertson and claim all disasters are God’s judgment against the US for our views of homosexuality. Or, you could run to your Bible to find the truth.
While we all agree that hurricanes can and do cause tremendous damage, heartbreak, and hardships for everyone in its wake, we must remember that God is sovereign and in control of everything. And he IS a good and loving God!
So the question remains: how do we reconcile a good and holy God with the devastation we see played out in these massive disasters?
Todd Friel recently spoke about this very subject on his “Wretched Radio” podcast. He pointed out a very comforting and, contrastingly, terrifying truth. Natural disasters, again caused by God, have a purpose for two distinct groups of people: believers (Christians) and unbelievers (pagans).
For the lost, hurricanes should be seen not just as judgment (which could certainly be a part of it), but as a display of the mighty and all-consuming power of our Lord. They should cause an unbeliever to look to the skies in wonder and terror at the sheer magnitude of God’s power and their own frailty. God uses hurricanes to display his own power and majesty, to cause man to look to him and repent!
But what for the Christians, then? If they are God’s children and God loves them, why not protect them from such tragedies? Is God punishing them for their sins? Absolutely NOT! A Christian’s sin has already been punished, the price already paid, and the wrath already poured out upon Jesus Christ. In full. Again, natural disasters are never, ever a punishment for the sins of the Christian.
Yet we still have this conundrum: Christians are the children of God and are under His care, and yet God does not spare His children from the effects of horrifying weather. Why?
Well, we know from Romans 8:28 that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Everything that happens in a Christian’s life, either caused or allowed by God, is meant for their good and His own glory. So the Lord is using these hurricanes for the benefit of the Christians caught amidst them!
Perhaps there is some discipline taking place, helping the Christian to grow in holiness, or to more heavily rely upon God. God may be using a disaster to provide an opportunity for Christian service and charity.
Even in the midst of extreme loss of property, loved ones, comfort and a way of life, the Christian can find the love and compassion of the Lord God actively working for their own benefit!
So if you have been personally affected by these natural disasters (or, indeed, any personal tragedy), you have two proper responses:
The pagan should fall on their faces in awe and terror before Almighty Jesus, repent of their sins, and beg for His forgiveness. If you do so, regardless of what you’ve done in your life, Jesus Christ is loving and willing to forgive you and take you into His arms with compassion and love. He will restore you to the Lord and remove all judgment and wrath from your soul. He will make you a child of God, this almighty Lord that is sovereign over the wind and the waves!
For the Christian, these storms should bring immeasurable comfort in knowing that it was God that caused them. It is God that tells the hurricane to pour their rain, and he has controlled and measured their strength, right down the last raindrop! Mourning is an appropriate response during such trials, of course, but a Christian should not remain there. Turn your eyes to heaven, to the God that loves you and has brought these trials into your life for a loving purpose. Pray. Ask the Lord to show you His heart. Read the book of Job and examine how God allowed Job to be afflicted; study Job’s response to his suffering. See that even Satan needs to get the Lord’s permission for every one of his evil acts against us.
Bottom line:
- God is in control of the weather.
- God causes hurricanes and all natural disasters.
- He wants lost sinners to repent and turn to Him in faith.
- He loves His children (Christians) and works all things for their good.
- Christians are not being punished for their sins; that cost has already been paid by the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
- God uses natural disasters in the lives of Christians for either discipline or spiritual growth.
If you have suffered from a hurricane or any other calamity, repent and praise the Lord Jesus for His power and majesty. Glorify the God that causes the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust alike. Seek the Lord Jesus while He may be found. Cast yourself upon His mercy and love and rest in knowing that He is the one that designed your darkest hour.
The Unworthy Prodigal 