Living On Purpose In Christ | Journaling Prompts, Biblical Encouragement, Aromatherapy, Devotions, Affirmations, God's Peace

83 | How to Heal After Tragedy: Biblical Encouragement & Journaling Prompts

• Paula Behrens | Christian Coach, Pastor, Certified Aroma Freedom Practitioner • Season 2

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The ground beneath our faith often shakes most violently when disaster strikes without warning. After the devastating Guadalupe River flood that swept through Texas on July 4th, many of us are left grappling with profound questions about God's presence in tragedy. As someone whose own grandchildren survived this catastrophe while others lost their lives, I understand firsthand the complex emotions that surge when natural disasters upend our sense of safety and order.

Where exactly is God when floodwaters rise? This episode tackles the age-old questions that emerge from suffering—questions that even Biblical figures like Job wrestled with. We examine Jesus's direct teachings about tragedy and whether disasters represent divine punishment (they don't). Rather than offering hollow platitudes, we explore the tangible ways God manifests during crisis: through the hands of rescuers, the voices of counselors calming terrified children, and the sacrificial love of those who risked everything to save others.

Drawing from scripture, personal experience, and pastoral wisdom, we discover how to hold grief in one hand and faith in the other. I share practical journal prompts to help process tragedy, Christian boundaries to protect your healing journey, and an invitation to find community where you can show up exactly as you are—questions, doubts, and all. Whether you're personally affected by recent disasters or simply seeking to understand God's presence in a broken world, this episode offers both comfort and clarity for the journey ahead. Ready to transform your relationship with grief without abandoning your faith? Join me as we navigate these waters together.

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Rev Paula Behrens:

Where is God when the floodwaters rise, when the news breaks our hearts and the why has no easy answer? Tragedy is a way of shaking the ground beneath our faith. Yet even in the rubble, God's peace is not lost. In today's episode we'll explore how to navigate grief without losing hope, how to find God's presence in life's darkest moments, and how biblical encouragement and Christian boundaries can help us process pain in healthy, holy ways. I'll also share journal prompts to help you reflect deeply and offer a sacred invitation into a faith community where healing begins not with answers but with presence.

Rev Paula Behrens:

On a lighter note, when I first began my seminary work while serving two church congregations full-time, everyone assumed I had my daily devotional time perfectly organized. But, truth be told, there were mornings I could barely find five minutes to catch my breath, let alone dive into deep reflection. One day, as I rushed out the door with mismatched shoes, I realized that even in my chaos there was a lesson. Embracing God's grace and self-forgiveness, I came to realize that true success in my devotional life comes from prioritizing my spiritual practices, even amid life's hectic pace.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned ?. I'm Paula and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed long for a deeper connection with God, but struggled struggle with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Hey friend, I know what it's like to feel far from God, even when you're doing all the right things. You're showing up, you're praying, you're reading the Bible, but inside something feels disconnected. You wonder if you're doing enough, if God is even listening. You feel a little ashamed that your quiet time isn't what it used to be or what you hoped it would be. Well, I want you to know you're not alone and you're not failing. God isn't asking you for perfection, he's just asking for your presence. That's what the Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour is all about, no pressure, no performance, just presence. Let me walk with you into a slower spirit-led devotional routine that will help you reconnect with the One who's been waiting to refresh your soul all along. Now's the time to say yes to peace, to say yes to presence. Book your Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour at paulabehrens. com/ coaching. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S . com/ coaching (no spaces). All right, it's time to get started. Grab your Bible, dust off your journal and c ozy up to your favorite beverage and let's dive in.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Where do we turn when life breaks wide open with grief and confusion? In moments of deep sorrow, when the unexpected shatters our routines and hope feels out of reach, it's natural to search for meaning. We wrestle with questions no one seems able to answer, and ache for peace only God can give. Today, we step into that sacred space together, holding grief in one hand and faith in the other. Once in a lifetime, something happens that changes the course of human history, but in recent years, it feels like we've lived through more than a lifetime. From the tragic attacks on September 11, 2001, to tsunamis, devastating hurricanes and, most recently, the catastrophic Guadalupe River flood in Texas, our hearts have carried more sorrow than we ever imagined possible. These events ripple through time, altering not just landscapes but the very fabric of our lives.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Let's remember the aftermath of 9-11. Our nation's capital and financial center were attacked. Over 3,000 lives were lost, the Manhattan skyline was forever changed, the world economy was shaken, an invisible war began, one we're still fighting in many forms. Now consider more recent disasters. Entire cities were devastated by hurricanes, magnificent forests have been consumed by fire, tens of thousands of homes were swallowed by wind, water and flames. Families were displaced, lives disrupted and hope challenged. And now the floodwaters of July 4th have added a fresh wound to our collective grief.

Rev Paula Behrens:

I know the pain of that flood personally. My twin grandchildren, my heart, both survived that storm. What should have been a time of friendship and fun turned into hours of fear, chaos and waiting. I did receive the news that my grand twins, along with their two cousins, were rescued, yet many did not. Children were lost, counselors swept away, a camp director's life taken while trying to rescue just one more little child. Families, broken dreams ended too soon.

Rev Paula Behrens:

And so we come to God today with lots of questions. We come with one of the deepest, heart-wrenching question, and that is, Why? In moments like these, when floodwaters rise, buildings fall and lives are taken, we search for understanding. We try to fit tragedy into theology and we ask why do innocent people suffer? Why does nature destroy instead of nurture? Where was God when the flood came through the Hill Country? These are not new questions. Job asked them, the Psalms cried them out. Even Jesus, while on the cross, said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And when it comes to questions, the book of Job alone contains more than 330 of them, far more than Genesis, Matthew or even the Psalms. Why? Because it was written in the ashes of unimaginable suffering. Job was a righteous man, yet he lost it all, his wealth, his livestock, his servants and his beloved children, all in a single day. And though he mourned bitterly, he did not curse God. Instead, he worshiped, saying, Blessed be the name of the Lord. In our own time, we too are mourning not just possessions lost in a storm, but precious lives, many of them young and full of promise.

Rev Paula Behrens:

The Guadalupe River surged in the early morning hours of July 4th, catching camps and cabins off guard. Some ask was this God's punishment? Now, that's not a new question either. In Luke 13, people brought up two recent tragedies to Jesus, first the Galileans slaughtered by Pilate in the temple, then the 18 killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed. In both cases, Jesus said, Do you think they were worse sinners than others? And then added, I tell you, no. Jesus made it perfectly clear that they were not being punished.

Rev Paula Behrens:

The people in those biblical tragedies were not to blame, and neither were the counselors and staff at the children's camps on that fateful day. Neither were those who lost their lives trying to save the children, neither were the parents who kissed their children goodbye that week in July, neither were the many others who perished in the wake of the devastating flood. This was not God's wrath. It was a result of a fallen creation, not a fallen God. So if we can't blame God, who can we blame? Well, the brokenness of this world, the creation still groaning in travail since the Garden of Eden. But we cannot and we must not blame the one who came to redeem it.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Where was God during the Guadalupe Flood? He was in the hands of the rescuers reaching into the water. He was in the voice of the counselors, calming terrified campers. He was in the strength of every camp leader, firefighter, first responder, camp director and neighbor who risked their lives to save another. He was in the courage of the brave parents whose houses and family members were swept away, yet they continued to find hope and resilience amidst the tragedy. And he is here now, in the aftermath, mourning with us, comforting the broken, holding the hands of the grieving.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Let's pause here for a moment of reflection. If you're journaling along with this episode, here are two journal prompts to help process your grief and ground your heart in God's Truth. Ask yourself, Where have I seen God's presence in the midst of tragedy, either through people, provision, or quiet peace? Take a few moments to answer that question. Then ask, What am I afraid to ask God right now, and how might I surrender those questions at His feet?

Rev Paula Behrens:

Job's strength didn't come from understanding tragedy. It came from trusting God in the midst of it all. Job's prayer was this he said, I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. I myself will see him with my own eyes. That's our hope too.

Rev Paula Behrens:

We don't place our faith in circumstances. We place our faith in a Redeemer who lives, One who walked through suffering himself, One who knows grief firsthand. As Christians, we hold to what is eternal, even when all that is temporary falls away. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies." He also said, "In my father's house are many dwelling places. I go to prepare a place for you." And in John, chapter 10, verses 27 through 28, we hear his promise: "My sheep listen to my voice. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand." N ot the wind, not the rain, not the floodwaters, not even death.

Rev Paula Behrens:

As we grieve, we must also protect the sacred space of healing. Let me gently remind you to honor your emotional limits and your spiritual needs. Here are three Christian boundaries that can help you in this time of restoration. One: Limit your exposure when it comes to triggering media or conversations that are hateful or divisive. God's peace is cultivated in quiet places. Two: Give yourself permission to say no to expectations or events that feel overwhelming and say yes to moments with God. Three: Set aside time daily for silence, scripture and stillness as a boundary against chaos. So what do we do now? We mourn, as Job mourned, we remember as Job remembered, we rebuild with compassion and resolve and, most importantly, we trust in the grace of God, because his grace is what carries us through. God's grace overcame the cross, it overcame the tomb and it will overcome the natural disasters of a broken world. So let us cling to the eternal, let us offer comfort to the grieving, let us live not in fear but in faith. Let us remember that our Redeemer lives and that our hope of salvation stands even when the waters rise.

Rev Paula Behrens:

If today's message stirred something deep within you, grief, anxiety, fear, or even just the longing to draw nearer to God, I want to extend a personal invitation. I'm offering you an Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour with a deep discount through the end of this month or until all of the open slots are filled. And as a special bonus, I'm including a guided Peace RESET as well. You'll get both at a 75% discount. This is more than just an offer. This is a ministry. Using gentle, faith-based aromatherapy techniques, we'll work together, releasing some of that stress and anxiety so you can breathe again, emotionally and spiritually, and so your heart will be in a better place, better prepared for God's healing touch. Then we will build a personalized devotional rhythm that draws you closer to God day by day. There's no pressure, no expectation, just sacred space, led by the Holy Spirit, where you can show up as you are. You don't have to walk through this alone. To claim your session, simply visit paulabehrens. com/ coaching. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S . com/ coaching (no spaces). If you have questions or just need a little clarification, feel free to send me a message through the Video- Ask that will pop up on the same page. I'm here and I'm holding space for you. Blessings, friend.

Rev Paula Behrens:

Thank you for tuning in today. If this episode has touched your heart, we would truly appreciate it if you would take just a few moments to follow the show and leave a review. I look forward to connecting with you soon. Join us next time as we continue to discover how to live on purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into him and walking in his wisdom. See you next time.