Overwhelmed by Disasters

Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires—all in the last few weeks! Do you feel as overwhelmed as I do by all this news? Families left homeless, wildlife killed, crops destroyed, thousands missing. It’s more than I can really comprehend. It seems that each day brings news of fresh disasters; today we hear about a line of incredibly destructive tornadoes in the southeastern U.S.

I seem to be getting immune to the sense of horror that each situation should evoke in me. The disasters in Japan, coming one on top of the other—earthquake, tsumani, nuclear meltdown, and more earthquakes—simply seem surreal. What about you?

I feel guilty not sensing the burden of each and every problem. Shouldn’t a child of God experience sorrow when watching such news? Does the technology that allows me to view immediate visual images of disaster after disaster simply desensitize me from feeling what I should feel? I want to weep over the things that God weeps over and care about what he cares about! My guess is that if I were to see, hear, and feel what he does, I would be so overwhelmed that I would be unable to cope.

I need to take time to be quiet before God and hold these issues to him in silence, asking him to give me his compassion for the victims. I want to carry them in prayer before the God of the universe, who created all things and loves all people. I pray for our mighty God to provide, to give comfort and grace, and to use these horrible situations to reveal his glory and draw people to the Savior. I pray for Christian witness in these places as the church extends the hands and love of Jesus to those who deal with great loss.

I would love to hear from you. How do you keep yourself from becoming immune to so much destruction in a broken planet? How do you pray for the people involved?