When Disaster Strikes: Finding God’s Presence in the Storm

When disaster strikes, whether it’s a hurricane, a flood, a fire, a frightening diagnosis or a sudden loss, it can leave you feeling vulnerable, afraid and alone. One day life feels steady. The next, everything has changed.

If that is where you are, please hear this: God has not left you. He is present in the storm, and the storm does not get the final word.

If you are in danger right now, call 911. If you are overwhelmed and need to talk to someone, call or text 988, or ask our team to pray with you.

This post draws from several messages at illuminate church, including It’s Not Over, the final message of our Weeds in My Garden series, and a message given the Sunday after a hurricane swept through our region.

When disaster strikes, faith doesn’t mean you’re exempt

Some of us are tempted to think that if we were more spiritual, hard things wouldn’t happen to us. The final message of Weeds in My Garden said it this way: just because you have read the Bible and done what it says doesn’t mean you won’t have storms. The difference is that after the storm, you will still be standing.

Jesus said the same thing in a story about two houses. Both of them got the storm:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)

That passage is from the New Living Translation (NLT). The rain and the winds will come. What you build your life on decides whether you are still standing when they pass.

What you might be feeling right now

After a crisis, it’s normal to feel shock, grief, anger or numbness. People often experience:

• Fear and anxiety about what’s next
• Grief over what was lost: property, health, security or loved ones
• Anger at the circumstances, at God, or at the unfairness of it all
• Exhaustion from constant adrenaline and decision making

All of these are valid. David poured out similar cries in the Psalms, and Jesus was in such anguish before the cross that His sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). You don’t have to have it all together right away. God meets you exactly where you are.

Jesus is in the boat with you

One evening Jesus told His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” They set out across the Sea of Galilee, and then this happened:

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” (Mark 4:37-39)

In our Unrest series, the message pointed out that Jesus had already told them where they were going: to the other side. Something came up in the middle of the journey, and instead of trusting what He had said, they panicked. Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep in the middle of the storm.

God doesn’t always prevent the storm, but He is in the boat with you. The One who can say “Be still” to the waves is the same One who stays with you while they rage. Read the whole story on Bible Gateway.

Hard pressed, but not crushed

The apostle Paul knew what it was to face disaster. He wrote:

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

Throughout Weeds in My Garden, “weeds” was the picture for the hard things that grow up in our lives. In It’s Not Over, this passage was a reminder that God has removed our weeds before, and He can do it again. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in your story. If Jesus can handle your sin and your eternity, nothing you are facing is too big for Him.

In Christ, the storm can’t keep you down

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

Another message in Weeds in My Garden put it like this: although trials might back you into a corner, in Christ they can’t keep you there. And when the world seems to be in chaos, we do not give up, because abundance isn’t the absence of suffering. It’s the presence of Christ in the middle of it.

Practical steps after disaster strikes

1. Focus on immediate needs. Safety, shelter, food, water and medical care come first. The American Red Cross and FEMA offer official disaster assistance.
2. Accept help. Let friends, neighbors, church members and relief teams help you. Saying “yes” to help is wisdom, not weakness.
3. Build a simple daily rhythm. Small routines like morning coffee, a short walk and evening prayer help rebuild a sense of normal.
4. Limit news and social media. Constant updates can raise your anxiety. Choose a few trusted sources and set boundaries.
5. Talk to someone. Share your story with your community, a pastor or a counselor, or explore our mental health resources.
6. Take care of your body. Sleep when you can, eat nourishing food, stay hydrated and move gently.
7. Document and seek resources. Take photos for insurance, apply for aid, and connect with local support.

Be the light of the world in the storm

The Sunday after a hurricane hit our region, the message opened by celebrating what our church family had done that week: running food to people in need, chopping down trees to clear roads for cars, helping move furniture, cleaning up messes and checking in on neighbors. That is what it looks like to be the light of the world in the middle of a storm.

The message described it as saying “yes again” to Jesus: “It’s another hurricane. I need to look after my family AND my neighbors.” And it fits the promise of 2 Corinthians 1:4, that God “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Your troubles just might be the intro to your testimony.

A prayer for peace in the storm

Prayer: Heavenly Father, the storm has been fierce, and my heart is weary. Thank You that You are my refuge and strength, closer than the air I breathe. Calm my fears, provide for every need, and surround me with Your peace that surpasses understanding. Heal what is broken, restore what has been lost, and help me feel Your presence today. Carry me when I cannot walk. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Hope for recovery and restoration

Storms end. Debris gets cleared. Hearts begin to mend. God is a master at bringing beauty from ashes:

“...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3)

He also promises to restore what feels hopelessly lost: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25). You will laugh again. You will feel safe again. And one day you’ll look back and see that God never left your side.

If the storm took someone you love, read hope in grief. If life has been turned upside down and you’re trying to find your footing, read finding stability during big life changes. And if the heaviness won’t lift, these Bible verses about mental health can help you pray.

Wherever you are today, there is a next step. If you want to know more about who Jesus is, start here. If you need someone to pray with you, reach out to our prayer and care team. And if you live near Kissimmee, Florida, we would love to see you on a Sunday.

Weeds in My Garden

Frequently Asked Questions About When Disaster Strikes