Through Hurricane Harvey, God May Be Trying To Get Our Attention!

This writer's heart and earnest prayers go up to the God of heaven in behalf of all the people effected by Hurricane Harvey. Through the pictures that I have seen, the destruction is horrific as well as the lives that will be forever changed because of this catastrophic event of nature.

But for every negative side of any natural disaster, there are some positive aspects that we need to seriously consider from this article by brother Wayne Jackson:

1) Suffering can draw our interests toward the true God. When one is in a state of anguish that offers little respite, the natural inclination is to turn toward a higher source for help. Only a deliberate and forced stubbornness can quench that urge. When we are hurting, the “God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3) is waiting to help.

2) Suffering can get our attention! David once wrote: “In my distress I called upon Jehovah, and cried unto my God” (Psalm 18:6).

There is a another positive aspect of the above horrific hurricane event: Through the rescue efforts of hundreds of emergency personnel, including the American Red Cross (scroll to bottom of link for donation information), and the U.S. military, Hurricane Harvey has brought more people working together than ever before.

Notice that we aren't seeing any paid protesters, violent rioters, or any other such nonsense taking place to mar the brave rescue efforts of displaced people, but we are seeing true agape love in action (1 John 3:14-18; cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NET - see article), with selfless people possessing the mindset described in Philippians 2:1-4 and Matthew 7:12 - see article).

Last, but certainly not least, the greatest positive aspect of the above horrific hurricane event, is that affliction, in the form of hardship, suffering, heartache, and pain, can bring us back to God and His Word, the Bible (Psalm 119:66-71). Let us also realize that God is even in the eye of the hurricane.

Beloved, let us think about the possibility that through Hurricane Harvey and this catastrophic event, God may be trying to get our attention! 

---Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets