Are you reading this on a hot, humid, AC required summer day? Did your few steps to the mailbox prompt a cold shower (your third one today)? Due to an unusual heat wave where I live in ("cooler by the lake") Manitowoc, Wisconsin, I can relate. Other than a sweaty pore cleanse, what benefit may be gleaned via not-so-nice weather? I think I found two answers.
Weather reminds me I am not in control. The disciples learned this on their fishing boat. As can happen on even a small body of water, a fierce storm arose, threatening loss of fish and life. The results of Jesus' words, "Peace! Be still!" calmed the sea, but not the disciples. They realized such weather-changing power could not come from a mere man.
Years later, Matthew penned, "(The Father) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" ( Matthew 5:45 NIV). God controls the weather.
"Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding." (Psalm 148:7-8 NIV)
Cloud seeding, the human effort to produce precipitation, has had limited, controversial results. Factory produced air pollution is effected by weather, but not the other way around. The Creator of our planet masterfully designed a life-sustaining balance of a photosynthetic atmosphere, water cycles (evaporation-condensation-precipitation) and weather patterns.
But why God does allow harm to come to people through tornados, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and similar horrific "natural" events? What possible good purposes come out of such tragedies?
The Biblical account of Job is an example of God using weather to kill livestock, servants and children. Though impossible for us to understand using logic, we are awed by Job's faithful trust in, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away' blessed be the name of the Lord "(Job 1:21 KJV).
God directed a storm that caused Noah to be thrown of the boat, and miraculously rerouted for an evangelism visit to Nineveh. This instance shows how God used weather (and some fishy intervention) to turn stubbornness into repentance.
There are examples throughout history of people turning to God (and each other) when they realize the power and possibility of approaching brutal weather.
Have you watched the news reports after a weather tragedy to see people (especially those in Christian groups, such as Samaritans Purse) assisting those in distress? A heat wave reminds neighbors to check on those who may need water or a fan. A snowstorm encourages shoveling and bringing food to the elderly and disabled.
If weather was always Eden-like perfect, would we tend to ignore God and the others Jesus told us to love? If you know someone who resides in such a climate, ask them.
It's hot here where I live, for a few days, then it cools down. I like to sit outside when it's really hot with my dog. When I sit outside, I don't have to walk her. She just does her thing outside and lays down near me. And because I live in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, I occasionally see an eagle fly in the distance, or ducks swimming by. There are advantages to the hot weather.
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