Sometimes a natural disaster is needed to wake us up and motivate us to get going and do good. Some of us may have been living a passive life for too long. Our positive contribution to society has been minimal. Our actions may have been fruitless motivated by personal gain. Our humanity has died. Instead of integrating into society and helping our neighbors regardless of their skin color or religion, we have been living in ignorance and intolerance. We may have been preoccupied with our careers focused in making money, racial movements, political parties, or involved with movements in spreading hate and intolerance. Instead of doing good, we have been hurting others. We are greatly in need of spiritual guidance and transformation, and change may just come through natural disasters.
When disasters strike, we may either become a victim of a catastrophe, in which case we are on the receiving end of help, or we may be a spectator and have an opportunity to help. It is during these times that we can apply ourselves or learn by the actions of others. It is during these times that we can grow and develop spiritually and emotionally.
I believe that natural disasters are God's warning, punishment, and a blessing to many people. They serve many purposes and each person or community receives it differently. Natural disasters may be God-send to guide us and redirect our paths. They may strike us to test our faith or punish us for our harmful actions. Their purpose may be to bring our communities together and break gender, cultural, and racial stereotypes. Natural disasters may also offer an opportunity to reveal the best of humanity and allow us to help and love our neighbors. In any disaster, we have an opportunity to make a difference and earn good deeds.
Natural disasters can encourage social cohesion and better relationships. When disasters strike, humans have a tendency to get together and show their traits and put them to work. It is during these times that we may work together and realize that all people are the same and have the same basic needs. Friendships may be formed and new things may come to life.
A natural disaster can be thought of as a megaphone from God to get the attention of those affected by the natural disasters as well as those from far away who may be watching from their comfort of their homes. Sometimes a loud message is only delivered by big speakers. Sometimes a lesson can only be learned by extreme measures. Whether there is a message of warning, hope or a punishment from God, people will contemplate and understand its purpose in due time.
All of us need guidance. All of us are motivated differently. For many of us, natural disasters may easily get our attention and give us an opportunity to contemplate about life and change. Many of us may be doing so much for our bodies but nothing for our souls. We may be consumed with the glamour of life and the pursuit of materialistic things. We may be living large and in sin. We may be living in deception depriving our souls. We may be building strong foundations for Earthly objects, yet the foundation of true life is being abandoned. We may be fulfilling our earthly goals but neglecting our spiritual needs. We may be preoccupied with unimportant things and in the process, we forget our purpose in life. We are not preparing for our destination in the life hereafter. As a favor, the most-merciful is shaking our foundation to get our attention. He wants us to start building a new foundation with gratitude and appreciation. God is giving us a second chance to true life by showing us His power and our weakness at the same time.
We need a pause from our daily activities and just mediate. Instead of thinking and preparing for tomorrow, we need to embrace today. Through this disaster, God is making that decision for us. He is forcing us into a timeout to be more receptive of our current blessings and be thankful for everything we have been given. God wants us to recognize Time as our greatest blessing and our families and friends as our greatest assets. It is very important that we recognize the lesson that has been pre-packaged for us.
Take heed. This disaster is not random. There is a big message for everybody. God is calling His people back to true life and you are among them. God is reminding us why we exist. He is showing us who is in control and reminding us of our limitations. God wants us to abandon our fruitless deeds and enjoy the blessings that we have been given while we can. We are rapidly accumulating wealth yet we are not enjoying most of it. We are trading all our time for a goal that we have deemed important. We are short changing ourselves. Instead of socializing with God's creation, we are isolating ourselves.
God is being merciful and is calling us loudly through a megaphone. He want us to change for good and earn good deeds. He wants us to get to know His creation better and appreciate life more. God wants us to know Him because where we are going, He is well known by His righteous children, and He wants us to be there. He wants us to seek His guidance and do His works.
God did not create us to be consumed by the world, instead, He created us to consume the world and feed the spirit. Our spirits have been yearning for God's love for too long and need our attention. Our hearts have died without spirituality. Instead of praising God and loving our fellow human beings, we have been praising money. It is because of our own doing that God allowed this disaster to happen. Our spirits sounded the alarm and God answered in the best way we would understand. Much good will come because the greatest change happens when we hit the lowest point in our lives.
-F.D