Under God’s Wings: Protection, Pain, and His Greater Purpose

Summary

God promises refuge to His faithful, but protection under His wings does not guarantee a pain-free life. Believers still face suffering, which God uses to shape Christlike character, deepen dependence, and expand ministry impact. Scripture shows that God wisely blends protection and pain, preventing adversity from derailing His purposes. Under His wings, nothing can stop believers from becoming who God intends or doing the good works He has planned.

Wise Protection in Everyday Life

After a surgeon removed my cancerous melanoma eight years ago, I dressed differently. I wear a wide-brim hat and long-sleeved shirts outside in summer to block the sun’s harmful rays.

Wise choices shield us from much harm. For example, smoking can damage our health in numerous ways. Avoiding it is prudent.

We buy auto, home, health, and life insurance. We do it to protect ourselves and our families in case of an auto accident, damage to our house, a health crisis, or unexpected death.

We trust the insurance companies to keep their promises and pay our claims. Some companies are more faithful than others. We may not be as safe under their wings as we think.

Trusting God’s Promises of Refuge

Sometimes it seems like God does not keep His promises either. “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).

God’s promises sound far better than having our own Secret Service agents to protect us. But life is far more complicated than that.

Who the Promise of Protection Is for

First, the promise is not for everyone. It is for God’s faithful followers only.

Why Under God’s Wings Doesn’t Mean a Pain-Free Life

Second, if we think nothing can hurt us because we are under God’s wings, we will surely be disappointed. That does not square with my experience or yours.

That does not mean our protector is asleep on the job. His promises are the armor and protection of the faithful. But they do not make people invulnerable to every earthly dart and arrow.

Christians experience life’s calamities. One of the casualties in a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 2023 was the young daughter of a senior pastor.

How Suffering Shapes Christlike Character

Believers have firsthand experience with pain under God’s wings. God’s work in us is more important than an earthly ironclad total protection plan. He is molding and shaping us to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29), who learned obedience from suffering (Hebrews 5:8).

Jesus is the pattern. Suffering is part of our obedience training. It marinates us, tenderizes our hearts, and equips us to minister to others who are suffering. 

Our pain has a purifying purpose. It motivates us to draw closer to God. It softens our hard hearts.

It humbles our independent spirits. It prepares us to be better carriers of God’s love and makes us more like Jesus.

It accomplishes what cannot be otherwise achieved. Stephen’s execution began a persecution that scattered believers from Jerusalem throughout Judea and Samaria. (Acts 8:1).

That scattering would not have happened without it. This fulfilled Acts 1:8 and its prediction that the gospel would spread to Judea, Samaria, and all corners of the earth.

Protected and Prepared for God’s Purposes

God protects us from some afflictions. He spared Peter from certain death (Acts 12:3–9). Jesus was spared several times from crowds intent on harming Him (Luke 4:16-30, John 8:48-59, John 10:31-39).

The Apostle Paul’s life was similarly spared (Acts 14:19-23, 21:35). Nevertheless, Paul suffered intensely for his faith (2 Corinthians 11:16-33).

God’s ordained path mingles protection and pain in just the right mix to equip us to do the good things He has planned (Ephesians 2:10). Unexpected adversity cannot prevent us from doing those things. We are under God’s wings.

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