Safe Passage

You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God.

Psalm 31:3-5

We all have areas of our lives where we are susceptible to the pull of sin. If we know ourselves and are honest, we know that certain situations or personalities or settings or events play to our weaknesses. We can’t avoid these, but we can see them for what they are and cry out to God to lead us through unscathed.

John had a volatile relationship with his mother. He was angry over past hurts and was sensitive to her blunt and controlling ways of interacting with him in the present. It seemed that he could not be around her for any length of time without lashing out or silently spiraling into seething anger that lasted for days afterward.

Then John had an epiphany from the Lord that showed him he was angry with his mother because he could never get the love from her that he felt he should get. He recognized that he was trying to get from her what could come only from God. He recognized that she was acting the only way she knew. And something in him adjusted.

The next time he was to be with his mother, he asked the Lord to walk him safely through the minefield of their relationship. In the past, he would typically have become angry before he even saw her, in anticipation of the hurt to come. This time, he forgave her in advance. He asked the Lord to replace his resentment with compassion.

His new way of responding to his mother proved the power of God to rescue John and brought honor to God’s name. The Lord led John in paths of righteousness, and the Lord’s name was honored.

Lord, pull me from the traps my enemy sets for me. You are the only one who can. I entrust myself to you for safekeeping.

Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.

R. A. Torrey(1856–1928), American evangelist, pastor, and writer