Q:
My elderly aunt's home was damaged in a strong windstorm a few months ago, and now all she does is worry about whether or not it's going to happen again. She's gotten so fearful that it's all she can talk about. Maybe you can say something in your column that would help her.
A:
Your aunt’s reaction is understandable, but she shouldn’t let this experience overwhelm her. Elsewhere in your letter you mention that she has lived safely in this house for 64 years–and it might be another 64 years before another strong windstorm hits!
The most important thing I can urge her to do is to learn to trust God for her safety. This life is full of dangers and uncertainties; it always has been, and it always will be. But God knows all about them, and nothing ever takes Him by surprise. He also loves us, and even when life seems to turn against us, He will never abandon us when we belong to Him.
This is why we can trust Him to be with us, no matter what happens. The Bible says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2).
Remember: We know God loves us because He sent His Son into the world to save us. Encourage your aunt to commit her life to Christ if she has never done so. Then remind her that if we can trust Him for our eternal salvation, we also can trust Him for our lives right now, for nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).