Good morning people who walk with Almighty God

Sometimes God protects us from painful situations and persecution. Oh how we love it when He does this. Here’s a verse about Jesus that we would all love to celebrate in our own lives: 

John 7:30 (NIV) At this they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

No one could take hold of Jesus because God was protecting Him. We love the times God protects us from painful situations and persecution, but we need to understand and accept that sometimes God permits painful situations and persecution. We see this clearly in the life of Jesus when He was arrested, ridiculed, stripped, beaten and crucified. This was extreme pain and suffering.

And as I meditate on these two thoughts – God protecting us from pain and suffering and God permitting pain and suffering – I think about two encouraging things.

Firstly, although God is never the author of evil – never – He is an amazing Restorer and His divine tapestry in the lives of those who love Him is always perfect. Jesus didn’t put the hatred into the Jews hearts, nor did He incite them to arrest Jesus; He was not the author of the evil. But at one time He protected Jesus from their evil plans, and at another time He permitted their evil plans.

And that leads me to the very encouraging second thing: Whether God protects us from difficulty or whether God permits difficulty, He is still sovereign in our lives! Father God was still directing Jesus’ path when He suffered on the cross, and His plan ended in resurrection life! We now have relationship with Father because of Father permitting pain and persecution in Jesus’ life.

We don’t always like what is permitted in our lives, but God does have a plan for those who are submitted to Him. Even bad situations that happen to us can be turned into something good for the glory of God.

May God strengthen you as you walk with Him today.