Trying to protect ourselves from everything that might happen in life is trying to play God. It’s wrong and it lands us at a fork in the road with one way leading to fear and the other to trust in God our Protector.
Choosing to go toward God at the fork does not obviate our responsibility to be careful and prudent about how we live our lives. We don’t just roll over and play dead. We need to do our part in the protection process by making wise decisions about things like insurance and security matters. Nevertheless, God wants us to get our inner protection and peace from him, not money, not a person, not a career, and not a hobby. From him.
Christians have to believe God’s protection promise that “the Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:7-8) and that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
The Lord wants us to claim these promises in prayer as we travel down God’s road of life. He wants us to pray for protection in advance as we pull out of the garage each day with God driving our car. He wants us to pray in advance for protection on every part of our life, including health, family, church and business relationships, finances, our future, our hope—the whole ball of wax.
Praying for protection in advance and putting our complete trust and devotion in God honors him. In fact, we are to “trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4). God has never let us down, and Scripture assures us he never will. God is trustworthy because he is unchanging.
When Moses told the nation of Israel he was no longer able to lead them, because of his advanced age, Joshua rose up. Moses said, “Do not be afraid or terrified . . . for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6). God’s Word is clear that we need to give him our fears, worries, and doubts. When we do, we have a lifetime warranty on God’s protection promise:
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7
