Shelter in Place with Joni: A 7-Day Devotional Reading Plan, Part 3Sample

He is Your Shield

One man wrote to me, “Joni, to even say that God allows bad things to happen goes against his loving nature. God is good, and he has absolutely nothing to do with the tragedies and awful things that happen in this world!” I thought back to the early days of my paralysis when I believed the same way. But it made me feel less trustful of God, not more. God seemed to be held hostage by bad things—things that were happening in my life! That’s when I stumbled upon Deuteronomy 33:27-29. There I found a sturdy, wonderfully awesome view of God. He definitely has something to do with the awful things that happen in the world!

God is constantly protecting us from the full force of the evil and suffering in our world. He is relentlessly shielding us. Time and again, he drives the devil away and rescues us from his wicked schemes. This sin-stained planet would have ripped apart at the seams long ago were it not for the restraining hand of God.

Second Thessalonians 2:6-7 says, “And you know what is holding [the evil one] back. . . . For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way.” The Spirit of the living God is the one who is “holding back” Satan and the suffering he instigates. Moment by moment God is engaged with suffering, restraining it, and only allowing the harmful to reach you if it will ultimately fit into his plan for your life!

Prayer

God, thank you that you are a shield, a forcefield, a hedge of protection from the would-be evil designed for me by the evil one. You are the great Protector of your people and I will find my rest in your protective arms. Amen.