7 Prayers to Ease Anxiety about Natural Disasters

We fear having to replace all that we own or, worse, losing irreplaceable items like baby pictures and keepsakes from deceased parents. However, something positive arising from natural crises is the motivation to determine what is important. Jesus taught that,

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:21

Experts advise everyone in wildfire hotspots to prepare their belongings and pack only what they need. Feeling sad about losing belongings is not wrong. Struggling to identify your treasures, however, could suggest that material possessions provide some security that one can only derive from the High King of Heaven.

Lord,
Examine our thoughts to be honest about our perceived needs. Show us how to hold belongings with open hands, knowing you always give us something better. If we panic about losing books, furniture, and clothes, remind us that our real treasure cannot be swallowed up in a natural disaster.

For those of us who love anxious people, increase our compassion and plant tenderness in our hearts to hear the stories that shed light on the root of their panic. Give us ears to hear and show us how to provide comfort.
Amen.

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One of the ironies about anxiety is that we cycle through scenarios we want to prevent but become paralyzed. We could take time to make plans, but we gravitate towards stories of anguish that overwhelm us and get stuck there.

Father,
Empathy is good; you gave us that, but we freeze when concern turns to anxiety. Show us, Lord, how to be reasonable and to act where we can. Jesus declared to his disciples,

”I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

He helped them prepare for the terrible suffering of discipleship, not run from it.  Lord, give us the courage to face possibilities while we can still be objective. Lead us towards the practical good and away from fruitless cycles of thinking.

We can put things in a safety deposit box at the bank and scan photographs and documents onto a thumb drive that can come with us if we evacuate. Lead us into rational thinking. Proverbs 22:3 says, 

"The prudent sees danger and hides from it.”

We are wise to think ahead, to pay attention, and to not live in denial. Lord, do not let anxiety stop us from creating an emergency plan. Show us how to do this without frightening our children, and give us direction to help vulnerable people around us. Please replace fear with “the peace that surpasses understanding.” (Philippians 4:7)
Amen.

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Terrible things can happen no matter how much we prepare or how good our emergency plans are. That has been the reality for so many people who lost loved ones due to natural disasters. One minute, the kids were. There, the next, they were swept by a landslide. But if we are fixated on the possibility, we live in the “what if” and stop living in the “now” of life. We miss so much joy when we are stuck in a dark place that does not exist.

God,
Thank you for your compassion for those wrestling with this tendency to project into the unknown future. Please, God, guard our minds against intrusive thoughts. You have given us examples in Scripture that provide some direction. How did the Apostle Paul cope with his memories of suffering, perhaps the anticipation of further torture?

His exhortation tells us that he replaced grim thoughts with beautiful ones: 

“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” - Philippians 4:8

Father, by your Spirit, shape our thoughts when we seem helpless against picturing worst-case scenarios.
Amen.

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While we must stay informed and prepare for potential disasters, we must also remember that our preparations cannot control the outcome. Anxiety often stems from a desire for control, a form of pride. In these moments, we must remind ourselves of God's omnipotence, the ultimate source of comfort and security.

Father,
Please help us acknowledge the sin of doubting your sovereignty and goodness. We yearn to be leaders and organizers when we are accustomed to doing something. Please, lovingly, show us our limits and boundaries. While Emergency Services and charitable organizations save lives and coordinate outreach for evacuees, provide us with a task. Jesus gave his disciples this instruction: 

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16

When we feel powerless, this is what we can do. Tell people about Jesus. Lead them to hope. Demonstrate the effect of his grace in our lives—comfort survivors. Let the Holy Spirit guard and guide us in front of others to his glory. Point to Jesus at all times by wrestling honestly with our feelings, even admitting that we struggle with anxiety. Lord, people need to see that even big problems are not as big as you are. We might be leaders, but we are following our King and Savior.
Amen.

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We fear that loved ones will die apart from God. Lord, make us bold. What if Mom and Dad have not believed in your Son for salvation? We cannot make them believe, but please give us an opportunity to remind our loved ones about Jesus’ love for them and the reality that there is only one way to God: through his Son. Please give us the words to say and open their ears to hear. And for us who already love Jesus, teach us to believe that,

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26

Lord,
Stand with us and ahead of us, ready to pull us out of the wreckage of our sin, ready to care for those we love. You do not wish that any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9) We have to trust you with them, as we have trusted you for ourselves, for who else is there to trust? We have no power over other people’s hearts and minds. Protect us from pointless and draining anxiety and remind us that you love these people more than we do.

Non-believers have never known the unchanging truth that gives Christians hope: Jesus has conquered death. Not only is HE our eternal reward, but the Kingdom of Heaven awaits us in its glory. No mansion on earth can compare. And when we see our loved ones again, there will be no more pain.

Almighty and compassionate Father, you have taught us to pray with grateful hearts in all situations, even the most terrible. We want our friends to know that by your mercy, you have,

“Caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” - 1 Peter 1:3

Lead them - and us - away from despair towards the light of hope.
Amen.

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Our treasonous minds cause plenty of trouble, but other people’s careless talk adds to the stress. When a chain of negative, often unfounded “reporting” starts up, it is tempting to let it weigh us down.  

Father,
How do I stay reasonable and stem the tide of anxiety that arises from the toxin of gossip? I can call on you. 

“I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” - Psalm 91:2-4

Lord, take me back to the foundations of truth. I can trust you for discernment. You will rescue me from the snare of poisonous chatter and lead me to the real information. You will show me what I NEED to know. Guard my tongue against participating, give me empathy for those who lie as a way to cope, and show me how to redirect rumor mongers without shaming them or starting fights. Let me be a light on the hill that showcases your truth, Lord.

Father, it takes so much strength to resist the temptation to gossip and to share the gospel instead or to simply stand firm against the tide of rumors. When we stand firm, not everyone will like it. But what I need most is you, and your approval means more to me than being liked by gossipers.
Amen.

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Lord,
Strengthen your people to use this time of uncertainty, not to succumb to anxiety but to think outwards to those who do not know you yet. 1 Peter 4:12 tells us not to be surprised by trials; natural disaster is just one of them. Our own minds are another—we tend to overthink and worry, but thinking about the needs of others can help alleviate anxiety.

One of the gifts we receive from praying for others is freeing our minds from self-indulgence. True empathy seeks the best for others, and to that end, empathy is active. Whether that activity is intercessory prayer or extends into physically helping people, Christians want to serve Christ by serving others. God, if I am truly empathetic, I will care too much about other people’s feelings to let my emotions crush me. I will long to serve my neighbor out of obedience to and love for my Savior.

If I want the best for others, I start with the Helper: with you. I can look to you, my Rock, the source of all wisdom and love, to show me how to provide loving care. You will guide my heart into prayer, which allows me to really see and hear my neighbor and his or her needs, to know what they wrestle with, and to meet them where they are.

We thank you, Lord, for walking us out of the dark valley of anxiety in person and never forsaking us. In your Son’s precious name.
Amen.

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