Of all the days of this summer, the most memorable for me was the day my husband and I visited Mt. St. Helens in southwest Washington State. Though I have a clear recollection of the day the mountain blew 39 years ago, I did not remember the whole chain of catastrophe that took place.
The volcano had an earthquake, causing the side of the mountain to collapse in an immense landslide. Then there was the lateral explosion, as volcanic gas and super-heated water blasted through the landslide, carrying rocks and trees along at speeds over 300 mph. That was followed by pyroclastic flows. In the extreme heat, snow and glacial ice melted, causing a far-reaching mudflow. And over the course of one day, 520 million tons of ash blew eastward.
Even with evacuation orders in place, 57 people lost their lives. Thousands of animals died. Enough timber to build over 100,000 homes was destroyed in an instant. Utter devastation. A local sheriff likened it to an atomic bomb.
So there we were, almost four decades after the eruption, hiking around the area. Where once dense forest had grown, it was hot, dry and dusty. Nevertheless, wildflowers were abundant. Small trees were growing. I kept thinking of what one of the movies at the Johnston Ridge Observatory told us: nature finds opportunity in disaster. A sign there reads, “Even through the acts of apparent destruction, creation occurs… If it were not for ashfall from centuries of previous eruptions, Washington’s Yakima Valley would not have the rich and fertile soil it has.” My stepsister has witnessed the effect of volcanic ash on those crops. She was working at a processing plant the year after the eruption and said the apples were the size of grapefruit—so big they had to re-tool their machinery to accommodate them!
Opportunity from disaster? Doesn’t this happen in our lives, too? I thought of the words of Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV) This is an oft-quoted verse and I must share a pet peeve. It bugs me when people make it sound like all things ARE good. That’s not what it says! Some circumstances are just awful and grieve the heart of God. But no matter how bad, good things can come out of them.
A relative shared this story: Early in his career, he had a nasty boss. If you’ve ever had to face someone like that, day after day, you know how disheartening it is. He probably wished he had never taken the miserable job. However, while working at that office, he met a sweet, beautiful woman and asked her to marry him. While that job is now a faded memory, they have celebrated their 50th anniversary, surrounded by children and grandchildren.
When I’m in a difficult situation, I find knowing God can bring good out of it encourages me. Good I could never imagine, maybe good I won’t recognize until further down the road. Possibly even good I will never be aware of…but good nonetheless.
However, it is important to use sensitivity in speaking with others. I wouldn’t expect someone who lost a friend or a home in the Mt. St. Helens eruption to really care how big the apples grew. And I wouldn’t quote Romans 8:28 to someone grieving a recent loss.
If you have a story of good coming from a bad situation, we’d love to hear it!
