God in the Storm
A Christian Response to the 2025 Texas and New Mexico Floods
The images coming out of Texas and New Mexico this week have been heartbreaking: towns underwater, homes swept away, families grieving, and entire communities left asking one painful question: Why?
If you're reading this because you're trying to make sense of the floods… you're not alone. These kinds of natural disasters often shake more than just the ground beneath our feet; they shake our sense of safety, our worldview, and sometimes even our faith.
God Is Not the Author of Tragedy
The Bible never promises a life free from hardship, and it doesn't shy away from the realities of natural disasters, such as storms, droughts, and floods. These events remind us that we’re living in a fallen world, not the one God originally designed.
Additionally, we must recognize that God didn’t cause the devastation. This broken world, ever since the fall of man (Genesis 3), has been groaning under the weight of sin, chaos, and decay (Romans 8:22). Floods, fires, disease, and death are all reminders that we live in a world that’s not whole.
But God is not absent. He does not sit idly by while people suffer.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18
In every tragedy, God is near. He weeps with those who weep (John 11:35). And in the middle of the storm, He speaks peace to our hearts.
When the Waters Rise, So Does His Faithfulness
The Bible doesn’t promise that we’ll be spared from every storm. But it does promise this:
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.” — Isaiah 43:2
What we read here is rock-solid. God walks with His people through disaster, not just after it has occurred. He strengthens the weary, carries the broken, and rebuilds what was lost in ways we may not expect.
And even when answers don’t come easily, His presence is our peace.
Why Does God Allow Floods and Natural Disasters?
This is one of the pressing questions after a tragedy. People want to know, if God is good, why does He allow suffering?
It’s an honest question and one that deserves more than a shallow answer.
We Live in a Broken World
Natural disasters are not proof that God doesn’t care; they’re reminders that this world is not what it was meant to be. In the beginning, God created a world that was “very good” (Genesis 1:31), free from pain, death, or disaster. However, when sin entered the picture, it didn’t just affect humanity; it affected the entire creation.
“The whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now…” — Romans 8:22
The floodwaters, the shifting earth, the destructive storms, all are echoes of a fallen world under the curse of sin. This isn’t how things were supposed to be. And it’s not how they’ll always be.
God Allows What He Hates to Accomplish What He Loves
God is not the author of evil or destruction. But in His sovereignty, He permits natural disasters, not because He enjoys watching us suffer, but because He’s working toward a greater good that often lies beyond what we can immediately see.
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” — Genesis 50:20
Sometimes, that good is a softened heart. A reunited family. A life reoriented toward eternity. Sometimes tragedy shakes loose what comfort could never touch. And though God does not cause the flood, He can use the flood to draw hearts closer to Him.
Suffering Can Stir Spiritual Awakening
It’s often in crisis that we become most aware of our need for God. When the ground shakes and the waters rise, we realize just how fragile life really is. And in that moment of clarity, many finally look upward.
C.S. Lewis1 once wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
Pain can break us, but it can also break open the hardened parts of our hearts.
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” — Psalm 119:67
God Is Already at Work… Even in the Storm
We may not see it at first. We may feel overwhelmed by the questions and grief. But Scripture assures us: God is always working, even when we don’t understand how.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28
“All things” includes the unthinkable. It includes disaster. It includes tragedy. And it includes today. Even amid tragedies like the Texas flood of 2025, God promises to redeem pain for His purposes. He doesn’t waste suffering, and He never abandons His people.
We may not always get the answer to why a flood came. But we are given something better: the presence of a faithful God who walks with us through it, who grieves alongside us, and who will one day restore this broken world completely.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more… for the former things have passed away.” — Revelation 21:4
Resist the Urge to Blame or Speculate
In times like these, emotions run high, and so does misinformation. It’s tempting to blame government leaders, accuse first responders, or succumb to the allure of conspiracy theories circulating online.
It needs to be said that these floods weren’t the result of a man-made plot. It’s not a secret agenda. And it’s not about political mismanagement. It’s not about “climate change.”
Nature is just nature. Bad things happen. They always have, ever since sin entered the world and fractured what God once called “very good” (Genesis 1:31 → Genesis 3).
“For the creation was subjected to futility... in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay...” — Romans 8:20–21
Let’s not let grief and confusion become cynicism. This is not the time for politics. Let’s not waste time chasing shadows when people need light. These storms should drive us to prayer, not panic, to truth, not theories.
God is not behind the evil. But He is ahead of it, waiting to walk with us through it.
God Is a Shelter in the Storm
The Psalms are full of reminders that God is a refuge, not from the storm, but in it.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way…” — Psalm 46:1–2
These words are for every person in Kerrville, Hunt, Ruidoso, and beyond today. For every weary emergency worker, for every family displaced, for every child who can’t sleep because of fear: God sees you. God cares. God is here.
What Can We Do?
If you’re reading this and asking, “How should I respond?”, here are three biblical ways:
Pray — For the victims, the volunteers, the rebuilding, and hearts to turn to God.
Give or Serve — As you’re able, support trusted relief efforts or donate to churches helping families recover.
Numerous individual brethren in Central Texas are working to keep the rest of us informed as to local needs.
The Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team is a valuable resource to explore.
Point to Jesus — The world is watching how Christians respond. Show the compassion of Christ in word and deed.
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
God Can Redeem Even This
If you're hurting today, emotionally, physically, spiritually, know this: This flood does not have the final word. God is writing a bigger story. His plans are not washed away by the rain.
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.” — Psalm 29:10
We don't just survive disasters, we grow through them. We look up. We reach out. And we remember that our hope is not in this world, but in the One who reigns over it.
Final Word: Hope After the Flood
To the people of Texas and New Mexico: You are not forgotten. You are not alone. The body of Christ is praying, and more importantly, the God of all comfort is with you.
If you're searching for hope, peace, or meaning in the wake of this tragedy, Jesus is the answer. He is the calm after the storm, the hand that holds you up, and the anchor that never moves.2
May you find His presence in the middle of the chaos. May His promises give you strength for today and hope for tomorrow.
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain (London: The Centenary Press, 1940), chapter 6.
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