My View on Protection

I believe God is always protecting us. I don't always believe this is true, but as I write this statement, I do believe it is true and I hope it remains my belief forever.

I can think of so many events, seasons, and decades of my life where it seemed like God was letting me down, but in the end, He was protecting me and others from greater harms that I had no idea were around the corner. Even more, he had greater forms of happiness that He was bringing me and others into that were also just around the corner.

Believing in God's protection changes everything.

The Gift of Sanctification

A lust* free life is a gift, not a burden. A resentment free life is a gift, not a burden. A life free of trying to subtly manipulate and control others is a gift, not a burden. A straightforward and honest life is a gift, not a burden. A life with healthy boundaries is a gift, not a burden. A life in which we engage reality instead of escape, is a gift, not a burden. And a life of service and contribution is a gift, not a burden.

As believers, many of us don't believe these things. We think, "I know this is true on paper, but God why hasn't it happened for me? It seems like these things are stressful, overwhelming, and incapable of ever coming true."

One part of the answer is: We have to believe these things are gifts before they start to happen. Then, in due time, they will start to happen. We will feel protected and loved, because that is exactly what is happening.

If these things don't feel like gifts to you right now, the best thing you can do is go to God and say, "God, these things don't feel like gifts at all to me. I don't believe it." With that type of honesty, He can start working with you. The reason I believe this is true is because God isn't a belief system. He's real. You can't go and ask your belief system for help or change your belief system to help you. But, you can go to God and He will help you.

The end goal is that God wants to bring you into closer relationships with others and experience the closeness that He already feels with you.

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*Not just sexual lust, but lust in all its forms. Anything that is obsessive and takes us away from reality. Obsessive behavior most often results in dysfunctional relationships. This is the very thing God is trying to protect us from.