Sunday Snippets: Our Only Safety

Psalm 4:8 "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."

When I was younger, I used to deal with a lot of fear at night. I wasn't afraid of the dark, or of someone breaking in during the night, or of monsters under my bed...I was terrified that the house would burn down. Now while this is a legitimate thing that could possibly happen, I took this fear to an extreme. I would lie awake in terror for the longest time, nearly every night! Even after I came to know The Lord, and no longer feared death and what came after, fire still terrified me. To this day, I still sometimes struggle with it. However, one day I finally realized that this abject fear was actually sin! In Philippians 4:6 it says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Being "careful" means to be full of care over something. I was letting this care rule my life! 

My grandma once said something I've never forgotten..."We are invincible until God is done with us on earth." If we are striving to serve God and stay in His will, our protection and safety is in Him alone. He is the Everlasting Father, and no one can pluck you out of His hand! Nothing, I repeat: nothing can happen to you unless God allows it. In which case, He will sustain you through it. This concept quite honestly changed my life. When I stopped being constantly afraid, there was a LOT more room for joy in my heart! :) Notice the verse that comes after Philippians 4:6 that I quoted earlier. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When we are careful for nothing, but cast our cares on Him (1 Pet. 5:7), His peace will fill our hearts, casting out fear. Praise God for His loving protection of His children!
Mykaela