After Hurricane Helene: Pray and Act

Sending Thoughts and Prayers

In case you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the Carolinas. Entire communities have been devastated by catastrophic flooding. Western North Carolina was hit especially hard, with towns like Asheville and Chimney Rock enduring unprecedented suffering. Heavy rains triggered landslides, washed out roads, and caused parts of Interstate 40 to collapse. Hundreds of people have been rescued from floodwaters, and the total number of fatalities remains uncertain.

Having grown up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, it breaks my heart to see so many of my friends and family facing such suffering. My parents are still without power, and their access to food and gas is severely limited while the community surveys the damage and looks toward rebuilding. As I prayed for God’s deliverance for these hurting people, I began reflecting on my responsibility to additional action alongside faithful prayer.

Recently, Christians have faced growing criticism for offering “thoughts and prayers” without taking further steps to help those in need. Several prominent articles argue that some Christians use faith as an excuse for inaction. Are these criticisms warranted? Yes and no. The Bible teaches that prayer itself is action, and God can deliver His creation from disaster. (cf. James 5:16) However, believers are also called to take tangible steps to alleviate suffering in addition to prayer.

Prayer is one of the most fundamental aspects of the Christian faith. It is a way for believers to seek guidance, express gratitude, and ask for help. While prayer is essential, the Bible makes it clear that Christians must accompany faith and prayer with action. Believers are called to actively participate in God’s work, aligning their efforts with their prayers.

Faith Without Works is Dead

One of the most explicit teachings on the relationship between prayer, faith, and action is found in the book of James. James 2:14-17 challenges believers:

• “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

This passage shows that faith alone, without corresponding actions, is incomplete. Prayer should inspire believers to act in ways that reflect their faith. When praying for someone in need, believers are also encouraged to do what they can to help. James emphasizes that while we should pray for the hungry and unclothed, we must also provide them with food and clothing.

How Can We Help?

Prayer is a powerful tool, but it is not an excuse to avoid taking further action. The Bible teaches that faith and prayer should move us to act according to God’s will. We are also called to take practical steps to alleviate suffering.  Let me offer one way for believers to take tangible steps to alleviate the suffering caused by Helene.

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams are rapidly deploying essential supplies to the areas hardest hit by Helene. Teams are also responding to massive damage in South Carolina and historic flooding in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Send Relief’s regional quick-response warehouse and tractor-trailers loaded with supplies are deploying resources to areas of highest need. Christians should pray for the multiple state Disaster Relief teams and local churches as they work to meet their neighbors’ needs and share the love of Jesus with storm-weary communities. In addition to prayer, we should contribute financially to this disaster relief program and others. And if possible, grab a chainsaw from the garage and go help your neighbors.

Prayer and action are not an either/or proposition—they are a both/and.