God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”
HEBREWS 13:5–6
We call them all natural disasters, though there is variety in how they bring destruction. In some regions, blizzards are the harshest storms, threatening life with blinding snow, impassable roads, and power outages. In other areas, springtime flooding and mudslides are more dangerous. Spring is also the heaviest tornado season, although they can happen in any month. Wildfires flare up from spring through the fall in various climates. Summer and fall bring hurricanes to the Eastern Seaboard. Earthquakes and tsunamis can happen at any time. So can volcanic eruptions, although those can sometimes be anticipated a little bit better. In each situation, volatile forces wash over us with overwhelming power and destruction. Often all we can do is try to get out of the way, try to survive them, and try to pick up the pieces after they have passed.
The fact is, no matter where we live, we all experience uncontrollable events, both in the physical world and in our personal lives. Eventually life brings days when we all feel chilled or soaked, burnt out, blown apart, or washed away. Loss, divorce, addiction, accidents, illness, the troubles of our children—you can fill in the blank. The list of life events that can knock us sideways is endless.
So how do we weather these storms? Hopefully, our family and friends gather around us. And we take shelter in the Lord. David knew what it was like to have bad days—very bad days. In Psalm 36 he wrote, “You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. . . . For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (vv. 6–7, 9). God has promised to never leave us. He is our helper, and He is utterly reliable. We may be caught in the storm, but He is there with us.