Question 1

Does God protect those who love him from physical harm?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 91:11He [the Lord] will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.Daniel 6:22“My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”Sometimes God protects us and delivers us in miraculous ways in order to preserve us to continue to serve him. Given the dangerous nature of our fallen world, we have little idea just how active God is in protecting us continuously.2 Corinthians 12:7So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.Sometimes, like the apostle Paul, we may experience devastating physical hardships and suffering. These are the times when our faith is put to the test, and we have to keep our eternal perspective.Romans 5:3We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.James 1:2-5Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.When God does not prevent suffering, he promises wisdom and strength through the Holy Spirit to endure through it. Enduring suffering may bring us closer to God than being spared from suffering.Deuteronomy 30:20“You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. . . . And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land.”Through his Word, God offers wisdom that helps us avoid needless peril. When we are careless or rash in our approach to life, we shouldn’t be surprised if the consequences of our choices include suffering.

Question 2

If an accident, tragedy, or illness occurs, does it mean God is punishing me for something?

Accepted Answer

John 9:3“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”The people in Jesus’ day, like many today, assumed that there must always be a sin behind anyone’s suffering. This is only true in the sense that the possibility of suffering and our capacity for suffering are rooted in original sin. While God does allow us to suffer consequences for our sins, he is more accurately understood as the redeemer of our suffering, not the cause. Suffering can take us toward God or away from him. If suffering takes us toward God, it is always redemptive.

Question 3

If God doesn’t guarantee physical safety, what’s the point of faith?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 16:17The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.Psalm 23:4Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.John 10:27-29“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”If we demand guaranteed physical safety in our lives, we are making an idol of this life and ignoring the realities of in living in our sinful world. Faith has more to do with the eternal safety of our souls than the physical safety of our bodies.2 Timothy 1:12I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.True faith involves trusting God to guard and keep what is eternal—our souls.1 Peter 2:25Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.Jesus guards our souls from being defeated in spiritual warfare.1 Peter 3:18Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.Faith in Jesus gives us safe passage to our eternal home.

Question 4

Is it wrong to pray for safety for myself and my loved ones?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 26:37-42He [Jesus] took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”Acts 12:5While Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.No. God always welcomes the confession of our desires when offered in submission to his will. Jesus himself asked the Father on the night before his crucifixion if there was some way to avoid what was ahead, but Jesus also affirmed his desire to do God’s will.Acts 27:18-25The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.”Romans 1:10One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.Paul’s prayer for safety in travel was rooted in his desire to minister to others. He was confident God would preserve him for any work he still had to do for God.2 Corinthians 1:11Many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.The early apostles depended on the prayers for safety offered by the churches.

Safety