Great test of Spirit/Katrina's aftermath

[icsonja]

What an enourmous test of faith and spirit these survivors are enduring. I watch the news with growing horror and ask myself ,how can they endure all they have lost, could I do it? I do not know the answer. I do know that the Bible says God will not give us more than we can bear if we have faith and trust in Him. This scripture is one I try to keep in mind all the time thru the good and bad times of my life.
My Dad is a Minister and a wonderful human being, I spoke to him tonight about the suffering that I was seeing unfolding on TV,because I was feeling broken, just couldn't stop crying and I aasked him for advice to help stop crying, Guesss what he said, he said Sonja we should be crying, the world should all be crying,maybe not out in the open, or at times when it would be inappropriate, but any Human who abides Gods command to love their neighbor as themself, well, if it were us in New Orleans we'd be crying, and these folks are our neighbors, they deserve our tears of sorrow and of caring. They need to know they are loved, that we care enough to cry for them. So as long as your tears are not tears for yourself, but for your neighbor, they are a healing balm for all.
Isn't that a great way to view this, my dad is fantastic, he doesnt try to make sense out of teh Huricane disaster, God didn't create this horrible thing, God is Love, he hates death. He didn't need more angels so he did this, this happened because of bad weather.
Where God is involved is in giving the survivors the strength to pull thru, strength that some never knew they were capable of.
He is watching over evry soul suffering out there tonight, he knows that we are only human, so how else do you explain how rescue workers can work 72 hrs w/o rest orhow those who lost all but there lives continue.Without Gods strength none of us could survive. It has kept me alive ,I pray that those suffering will get the stregth they need to continue on. You are my neighbors and I llove you as I love myself. May you have peace soon.
Sonja (and her daddy)

[ICNDonna]

I am keeping those people in my prayers. Somehow, some way they are finding the strength to continue --- and they will rebuild and be even stronger.


Donna

[elsie3205]

I am a Christian but it's times like this that I stuggle with the whys, why does God allow these horrible tragedies to happen? Sonja, you said in your post ,"God didn't create this horrible thing, God is Love, he hates death. He didn't need more angels so he did this, this happened because of bad weather." When you are enjoying a beautiful day weather wise, don't you give God credit for it? Do you ever pause and say a thank you to God for the sunshine or for the rain your garden needed? I can understand when people are the cause of tragedies but acts of nature like Hurricane Katrina and the recent Tsunami rattle my faith in a God of love. Do you or your father have any words of wisdom for me? Thank you.

[patricia1]

I for one have faith in God, and because of that faith I know he will allow us to rebuild what was lost and bring hopefully our state closer together. Now that being said, I do believe that the weather, or what have you is a sign from above. I believe that for some reason we better start thinking about his next coming and this is just my belief, but right now there is so much sorrow and pain and misery going on in this world to not think about it. God has his reason for everything he does and right now we might not be able to see or understand what it is, but he does. And I truely believe he will get each and everyone of us through this, we just need to turn to him and ask him to help us. Bless every one of us.

[icsonja]

Why did this happen, my opinion

I did as you asked Elsie and read your post to my dada, he talked to me and this is some of what he said in context.
It is true that many people don't think about God except for times of extreme need. We don't take the time to tell our family, our loved ones hoe much they mean to us, we just don't expect that may be the last time we get the chance to say these things, so make it a point to do it everyday, like it could be your last words.
Also, many don't like to discuss such things, but there is a dark evil being who loves this sort of catastrophe, He (satan) enjoys the sights he is seeing, this gives him pleasure, and seeing the lawlessness that is springing up in N.O is just what he wants. Remember the people who do these things are not God loving people, they have no respect for the life that God has given anyone.
We can't blame God for bad, we must put it where it belongs, with the bad evil ,side of the world.
God gave us all free choice, the choice to be like Him or be like the devil, some choose the devil and yes, innocent people suffer from these evil acts.
It can be overwhelming, it is overwhelming even to those who are strong in Faith to see what we are seeing on our TVs.
Those who are suffering are in my heart, it is about all I can think of. I hope that the goverment can get them to safety soon.
This is Humans earth we make the choices as to what happens here, may all make the ones to bring better life to those suffering.

[Katrina]

Your father is very wise...I have been crying. Thanks for sharing.

[elsie3205]

Thank you Sonja and Sonja's dad.

[csocain]

I guess the one thing that I know without a shadow of a doubt in the midst of all of this devastation is that God loves us. I hold on to that, knowing that He will walk us through anything if we will just call on Him and let Him. What has happened is horrible but He will use it for good. I think about the many humanitarian efforts in own community that has many evacuees here for the long haul. Somehow in the midst of all of this, the worst has come out and the best has too. I will continue to look to Him whether times are good or bad because I know He will take care of me no matter what happens. I too am praying and crying for those in these terrible times but I am also doing what I am able to help those who need the help. Blessings of grace and peace to us all as we try to comprehend what has happened and how God would have us respond to it. I know He will bring something wonderful from it all in the long run.

[July]

One constant and solid reminder of God's love is that He sent His Son Jesus Christ into this world, which as we have seen can be a dangerous and sad place, to die for each of us so that we have a way to get to Heaven where there is incredible joy and no tears. In fact, He has promised to wipe our tears away in Heaven. Jesus said in this world there will be troubles, but to cheer up because He has overcome this world. Heaven awaits! This is so good to know as we make our way through a dangerous and unpredictable world. Bad weather and related problems are part of this dangerous and unpredictable world (illnesses fall into this category,too .) They are not punishments. I think it is human nature to look for a reason of why things happen like this hurricane. However, perhaps it is not for us to know. Perhaps our focus should be elsewhere, like the opportunities we have to show our faith by caring in whatever way possible for our neighbors who have lost everything. Every little way counts. I think it is easy to have superficial faith when times are good, but faith can grow so strong and deep when challenged. It is in the bad times when we see if we ever really had faith. Speaking of faith, I have seen displaced victims who have lost everything on TV who have shown the most deep and strong faith, stronger than those of us looking on from the comfort of our homes. They are carrying and reading Bibles, praying and singing hymns. Church services are going on, and church workers and pastors are staying to be with their people. We can learn about faith in God from the survivors who still strongly express their faith, hope and love in God. Perhaps that is another opportunity for us to observe.

[icsonja]

a week later, how are we feeling?

This has been an incredibley long couple of weeks for most of us, we have seen and heard things that many of us never thought we would see here in the USA, but it happened and now we are left to fix this. Yes it is for us to fix, each of us do what we can do, even if it is donating a quarter, if that is your best then God is proud of you. Remember the parable of "The Widows Might" in the bible. The rich men of the chuch were donating hge amounts of money and expensive gifts, but they wanted to make sure evryone knew they had done so, and there was a Widow women who gave a small coin, it was all she had, but she didn't tell anyone that she gave her all. Now who do we think God looking down at this situation noticed, Jesus asked, the Widow, his apostles asked why not bless the ones who gave so much more, and Jesus told them that Widow gave out of faith, gave her last coin, without demanding that she be acknowledged, but the wealthy ones were not giving with a pure spirit, it was so that all could see what they did.
I see that happening in this ,in this situation, and I think Gods , just as he did with the Widow knows why and how and with what spirit any gift is being given. I am telling this story, because I know many of my fellow ICers are simply too ill or don't have any funds to be donating or working as relief workers. I can't do much at all,just mark a few boxes, or count some pennies, but not what I felt like I should be doing. So my Dad reminded me of the parable and told me that God knows how badly I want to be doing so much more, but I am just not capable,he knows that. And He is proud of any thing we do, even if that is to pray. That may be giving our all.Those who give there all areloved by God.
Sonja