For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16 NKJV. 

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28 NKJV. 

 

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. - Matthew 5:44-45 NKJV. 

 

Here is a very partial list of natural disasters and terrorist attacks in United States in recent years.  

 

World Trade Ctr Bombing – February 26, 1993

The bombing of the Murrah Building 1995

The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001

Hurricane Katrina’s devastation 2005

Fort Hood Texas – November 5, 2009

Boston, Massachusetts – April 15, 2013

Chattanooga, Tennessee – July 16, 2015

San Bernardino, California – December 14, 2015

Orlando, Florida – June 12, 2016

Attack on Dallas officers – July 7, 2016

New York City/New Jersey – September 17, 2016

Columbus, Ohio – November 28, 2016

Attack on Congressmen – June 14, 2017

Hurricane Harvey’s Devastation – August 2017 

 

Here is a link to a more complete list of terrorist attacks in United States: http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/terrorism/wrjp255a.html

  

Wikipedia has a more complete list of Natural Disasters in United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_disasters_in_the_United_States 

 

What is next? The fact is that we do not know what is next. We do know, however, that whatever it is, it is headed our way.  

 

The point of this is that bad things do happen to good people and not so good people all the time. Every one of us have our own difficulties, and to us at least, our own disasters to deal with at times. Knowing this we should conduct our own preparedness test, and especially a spiritual one.  

 

How do you respond when bad things happen? Do you curse, yell, and blame God? Many people do, and I have watched them on TV cursing God for what has happened. At least there was quite a few taking God’s name in vain. Sometimes we have a name or several names to blame for a disaster.  

 

But to be fair we know that it is more complicated than that and we have to wonder in every disaster about what part God played or did not play in it. We will never know on this earth for sure about the part God has in a disaster of preventing it, allowing it, causing it, etc. However, there are two things that we do know and that we never have to wonder about or doubt as far as God is concerned.

 

Two things we know and we can stand on them through any storm, any problem, and any difficulty that this life may bring our way. What are those two things?  

 

First, God loves you and wants the very best for you. God loved those people who died in the terrorist attack on 9/11. God loves all those people who were affected by Hurricane Katrina's devastation and all those impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. How do we know that? Because the Bible tells us in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  

 

What is the second thing that we know? We know Romans 8:28 is true “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” God will bring good out of this terrible disaster on the gulf coast. We can look back and see that God brought good out of the 9/11 disaster. The divisions among the people of the United States were at least temporarily forgotten. Because of 9/11 many turned to God that would never have sought Him otherwise. We sought the Lord more so than before and saw the truth of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

 

No matter what may happen in your life you need to remember those two things, because bad things do happen to good people. And when those bad things happen - remember this: God loves you and He has proved that love on the cross. He died in your place, took your penalty upon Himself. And remember, that if you love God and follow Him - He can and will, bring good out of the bad.