When natural disasters strike, it’s common to want to pray, but sometimes it’s hard to know what to pray for or what to say.
Of course, we can ask God to take the natural disaster away, but the chances of that happening are usually pretty slim. So, what’s a good way to pray during a natural disaster?
As with all prayer, there’s not just one way to do it. And there’s really no wrong way to do it.
Praying in any way is creating a communication between you and God and any communication is a good thing. God is always happy to hear from His people.
Ways to Pray During a Natural Disaster
The following ideas will provide some suggestions for ways to pray during a natural disaster, but use them as a starting point and take your prayers wherever God leads you.
1. Talk to God
Sometimes the best prayers are just unloading your thoughts, concerns, and fears. Talk to God. Tell Him how you’re feeling. He can handle whatever you throw at Him.
Once you’ve said everything you need to say, be still and listen! He will answer you. Sometimes the answer comes even while you’re still talking to Him. Pay attention to the thoughts that come to your mind or heart.
2. Read the Bible
Reading any part of the Bible will align your mind and heart with God. This is a good way to draw near to Him as you pray during a natural disaster.
Don’t have a Bible? That’s ok. There are plenty of free online options. My personal favorite is BibleGateway.com.
Just read. Absorb the words and message. They were written for you! If you have trouble understanding the words (and this is often the case, a study bible is a good way to get a brief explanation as you read along.)
3. Lift up Special People
During a natural disaster, sometimes we know people who are affected and sometimes we don’t. But that shouldn’t stop us from praying for all those who need it.
One way to pray during these times is to ask God to have mercy on the people who are affected. If you know them, list them by name as you think about each one.
If you don’t know the people affected, pray for the group as a whole, such as “all the people in the path of the hurricane” or “all those who have lost their lives or homes due to the fire/tsunami/avalanche/whatever”. Put your mind’s eye on the situation and mentally lift the people up to God’s outstretched arms.
4. Pray Common Prayers
When you just don’t know what to pray, use common prayers. The Lord’s Prayer is the most popular one and it’s a wonderful way to pray when you’re stuck.
You can offer up each prayer to God on behalf of the people affected by the natural disaster.
Repeat the prayers as many times as you’d like, but if your mind starts drifting or you’re just speaking the words with no meaning, switch to another type of prayer.
5. Remind Yourself of God’s Miracles
The Bible includes so many miracles! A good time to remind ourselves of this fact is during a natural disaster.
Read about these amazing events, such as the creation the world and everything in it (Genesis 1), Daniel surviving the lion’s den (Daniel 6), Jesus walking on water (Matthew 14), God parting the sea (Exodus 14), Jesus raising the dead (John 11), and Jesus changing water into wine (John 2).
Our God is a God of miracles. Pray for it.
6. Read Bible verses on a topic
A natural disaster brings about a lot of different feelings and emotions. The Bible reminds us that God is in control and has our backs, even when the world feels like it’s spinning out of control.
One good way to pray in this case is to search for Bible verses that relate to your situation or how you’re feeling, such as “Bible verses about hopelessness” or “Bible verses about strength during hard times” or “Bible verses about God helping us”, etc.
Reading through verses that address your feelings will not only help you draw closer to God, but should help you feel His comfort, protection, and promises.
7. Just sit with God
Sometimes we want to pray, but the words just won’t come. A natural disaster is good example of when this may happen. Our minds become a jumbled mess of fear, pain, suffering, anxiety, and maybe even anger.
When you can’t form the words, God still knows what you want and what you need. Actually, He knows this even better than you do! He hears you even when you can’t articulate it. He knows your thoughts and He knows what outcome you want.
When your mind is a pile of spaghetti, just sit with God. I usually do this in a quiet place, with my eyes closed. Feel His presence. Ask Him to join you. Ask Him to give you guidance, direction, hope, or an answer about something. Be still and listen for His answer.
If your mind starts wandering, pull it back. If it keeps wandering, it’s okay. Switch to another type of prayer.
Do whatever works for you!
My suggestions are only a few examples of ways you can pray to God during a natural disaster. Do whatever keeps your mind the most actively engaged with Him.
Hopefully you’ll find new ways to stay engaged with God on a daily basis, beyond the natural disaster. He wants to hear from you all the time, not just when life is topsy turvy!
