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The tragedy in the Texas Hill Country last week was unimaginable. The losses have been devastating. The fear and trauma have been unrelenting. The grief and sadness continue to come in waves.

It will not always be this way. Although we cannot see it yet, there is hope.

I have lived through a disaster and in my new book Anchor Point, have written about some of the lessons I learned. By sharing some of them here, I want to offer encouragement to those who are going through these dark days and a challenge to those of us who were not directly affected by the floods but care deeply about those who were.

In the Morning 

To those who are going through it now, here is a portion of my book that I hope will be helpful:

When you are in crisis, trying to survive, you just hope for one more breath. As the crisis subsides, you see the devastation left behind and feel the sorrow of loss and the pain of destruction. Your world has changed, and everything appears to be broken. When you find yourself in that lonely darkness, hold on. The last half of Psalm 30:5 reminds us, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Remember, one of these days very soon you will notice a glimmer of light slowly peeking over the horizon. That dim light on the horizon will gradually become brighter and eventually a new day will dawn.

“Through” is a great word. We wish we did not have to be in the darkness of disaster and recovery, but the good news is we will not always be in it. We will get through it. In the most beloved Psalm, David declares, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Which later allows him to profess, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…”

David knew that with the Shepherd as his guide, he would make it through the valley. He sang not of sitting in the valley or quitting in the darkness but going through it. When God’s people were in exile and facing great difficulty, they most likely felt abandoned, but through the prophet Isaiah, God reassured them, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” 

I like that word “through,” but I do not like the word, “when.” I wish the Scriptures talked about “if you go through the valley,” or “if you go through floods and fires.” But that is not what it says. Throughout Scripture we learn that we will face difficulties at some point. We need not wonder if they will happen but be ready when they happen. Jesus even taught His disciples, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

We live in a messed-up, mixed-up world in which tragedies happen, good people suffer, and disasters disrupt our lives. The good news is, we can get through those times. A new day will come, and there will be joy again. “Joy comes in the morning.” You may not be able to see the sunrise beginning yet, but it is on the way. The sun will rise, the darkness will fade, and a new day will dawn. While you wait, trust in the Lord, watch, and listen for His presence.

In The Meantime 

For those of us who were not in the Hill Country when the waters began to rise, and did not suffer the losses or experience the fear, we want to help, but what can we do?

First, pray. Don’t just post the prayer emoji or the word “prayers” on social media, but stop all other activity and humbly cry out to the Lord for His deliverance. Pray for the families who lost loved ones, for the injured, for the frightened, and for those who are still missing. Pray for the professionals and volunteers who are already on the field working tirelessly. Pray for the local governments who are beyond exhaustion and overwhelmed by their responsibilities. Pray for local pastors and ministers who are trying to care for others while putting their own lives back together.

Second, pray about how God would have you give. Those who are recovering right now do not need any more clothes or supplies. They need financial support. Give now to trusted organizations who can help during this time of short-term relief, and then give some more to the big funds that are set up by banks and foundations for the long-term recovery that will come later. Involve your family and your church in raising money and intentionally praying. Until our friends get through this and that new day begins to dawn, let us pray fervently and give generously.

Learn more about Anchor Point and pre-order your copy here.

Read more from John Crowder here.