God’s Lovingkindness & Shield Permeability

Happy Sunday! This week I had trouble choosing a specific topic to discuss- mainly because there are a lot of things I feel God has been teaching me. But this was something on my mind this week!

The purpose of trials are to refine us and make us better. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I know we would all like to be immune to struggle. I know I would!

I think across the span of our life, we will see our struggles manifest according to common themes. These seasons of struggle are likely hard and seem impossible to break through. Yet, somehow we do. One day it may feel like all hope is lost. Then some time passes, and we're able to look back and see so much progress because we decided to take steps to break the cycle of sin.

Although we all have negative thought patterns, sins, and temptations that we tend to fall into, there are likely times we have felt free from these things. What led to that freedom?

If you struggled with worry in the past, freedom might have involved engaging yourself in reality and walking forward no matter the fears that threatened your mind.

If you struggled with feeling lonely in the past, perhaps you practiced courage and initiated a hangout with someone, which led to a sweet friendship.

If you struggled with making good grades in the past, perhaps you put grades higher up on your priority list.

Struggle sometimes confuses me. But in my questioning, I feel the Holy Spirit reminding me that He hides me under the shadow of His wings

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91:4 (NIV)

In reading this verse I began to wonder- if He is my shield, why do we struggle?

The Holy Spirit prompted me to believe that He shields us according to what we need to be shielded from.

The Bible does not promise the absence of struggle. Instead, it promises that we will not be tested beyond what we can endure.

So could there be meaning behind our struggle? Could our struggles actually be a blessing? I believe the Bible supports this.

Have you ever thought about the fact that some people struggle with certain things and others don't?

Perhaps the shield of the Lord is semi-permeable, allowing only certain struggles and hardships to pass through- specifically those that He knows we can handle (with Him), grow from, and bring Him glory through.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20 (NIV)

Sure- pride, greed, envy, laziness, eating disorders, fear, depression, worry, etc. can all be fostered through our childhood, genetics, experiences, and satan himself. But who is above all of this? The Lord.

If God wanted to abolish all struggle, He certainly could.

God, in His nature, is kind. He is love. He is perfect. And, if in His perfect lovingkindness, He allows us to experience pain- be it physically or mentally- there has to be some benefit and meaning behind it.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 36:7 (ASV)

So, the Holy Spirit has challenged me to thank God for my specific weaknesses. Because it is through them I am able to relate to others, find a niche within my career path, and learn more about God's character. Furthermore, my weakness pushes me to rely on God's absolute truth as I am reminded of my own weakness, of the fallen state of the world, and of my inability to save myself.

Would I desire to pursue the Lord, look forward to heaven, or act humbly if myself or the world were perfect? Probably not, because I’d think I already had everything I needed.

Furthermore, because what we face is not unique to us (others are tempted by the same things), shared struggle allows for connection and relatability with people.

As much as we can trust that our specific struggles are under God’s sovereignty, we can also have faith that the specific timing of our struggles are as well.

You can likely pinpoint times in your life where struggle seemed prevalent, as well as times when trials seemed to be at bay. In my life, I see how God has shielded me from certain struggles in some seasons of my life, yet allowed them to resurface in others. Looking back at old prayers, I can see how some of my past worries that seemed so big and so scary now mean very little to me.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

Ecclesiastes 3 (NIV)

A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
    a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

There is a season for everything! He is good through it all! Your struggle is likely leading you to your calling and ALWAYS leading you back to Him.

It is also likely that your struggles have less to do with what meets the eye and more to do with character development. Maybe it’s ushering you to laugh without fear of the future, realign your priorities, fix your focus, be present, be thankful, etc.

“God protects us from harm’s way, guards us from danger, defends us against accusations, shelters us when we are weak, and screens everything that comes our way. Nothing can touch us until it goes through God’s screening process first.”

quote from: https://thoughts-about-god.com/katherine-kehler/god-our-shield

God isn't afraid of our questions! Go to Him with your concerns and ask Him to show you the truth. Hope you enjoyed this week's blog 🙂

with love,

Bailee Chavez 💙