When Disaster Strikes

It's Monday.

Imagine walking into your place of employment, only to discover...

Your office is now a pond!

PANIC!!!! 

Water travels down...  

You imagine what else may have been impacted???  

So you bravely descend the stairs to the lower level...

Mayhem!  Devastation!

I can barely imagine the range of emotion that descends in this moment!

Thoughts rush in...
   ...what do I do?
      ...who do I call?
         ...what is salvageable?
            ...how will we open for business?
               ...will the disaster plan we put in place be effective?

They are all coming at once!

What prepares us to face trials of any sort with hope?  James, the brother of Jesus has words that may be hard to hear...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.  JAMES 1:2-8

Pure joy???

REALLY???

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.  JAMES 1:12-18

Challenges can become opportunities for God's people to give witness to the faithfulness and provision of HIS grace...
...the people that clean up
   ...the people that pray and encourage
      ...the knowledge and wisdom to make decisions

Disasters help us remember what's most important - - PEOPLE!  When there is only damage to property, how often do we think, "at least no one was hurt."

Disaster is also an opportunity to reassess and clean house - in whatever form that may take... getting rid of unnecessary items stored that may be useful "one day," prioritizing what's most important, or re-focusing on values.

Mission, Jesus style calls us to recognize the opportunities that the Lord gives us to show how we trust him in the midst of disaster and devastation.  The saying "this too shall pass," comes to mind.  It will.  The circumstance will pass, but people will remember the ways in which we express the fruit of God's Spirit in our lives:  love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  GALATIANS 5:22-23

Giving God praise for His faithfulness in the midst of the circumstance
may help someone learn to trust Him for eternity.  

May the peace of Christ that passes understanding
reign in your heart and mind!