Why Did God Let This Happen? [Video below]
PEACE, SAFETY, AND SECURITY
Deep inside us, we all have a basic psychological need to feel safe and secure in our surroundings. Looking around us, it’s obvious we live in a very unsafe, dangerous world. Any lack of safety we perceive in our environment can block us from the peace of mind everyone seeks. However, a source of safety that’s stronger than any natural rock and can never be breached is available to us; His name is Jesus.
It’s only natural to feel frightened and insecure when we see the strife going on around us. Trusting in our own resources always leaves chinks in our armor. Trusting in God for our safety supersedes the natural realm and activates a supernatural level of protection. “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2). Regardless of what’s happening, God’s promise to shield us from evil will never fail us.
There’s nothing wrong with taking precautions to ensure our safety and that of our loved ones. God doesn’t want us in harm’s way. When all else fails, however, He wants us to know that no power in the universe is strong enough to overcome His Word concerning our security. “May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels” (Psalm 122:7, NIV). This is His will for us.
One of the names Jesus is known by is the Prince of Peace. He knows exactly what we’re going through every day and what we’re feeling from moment to moment. He reassures us during our darkest times. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). When trouble threatens us, Christ is bigger, stronger, and more powerful.
The simplicity of what God says to us concerning our protection in Him is difficult for many people to believe. We may have a tendency to try to complicate His promise. His Word directly contradicts the world’s message that our security is strictly up to us, and us alone. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3, NLT). Whether or not we understand it logically, something about trusting God instead of ourselves for our safety brings us a peace of mind we can’t explain.
We fix our minds on Him by constantly studying our Bibles and reflecting on what we learn. If we focus on danger and uncertainty, our emotions can be moved like the ground during an earthquake. Focusing on God calms us and gives us stability, even during tough times. We will not be moved from our safe place when we trust in Him. “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock” (Isaiah 26:4, NLT).
The world lives in fear because it doesn’t have Jesus; getting born again and making Him our Lord and Savior takes away any reason to fear. We can rest from our anxieties and worries when we rely on God for our safety. “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). He’s simply waiting for an invitation to bring us peace. What will your decision be?