“Our lives began to fall apart when my daughter took her life,” the woman told me during a break in the conference we were both attending. “And then our second daughter spiraled into depression and started to ‘self-harm.’ After several months we discovered the reason why: While my husband and I were missionaries in Indonesia, two of our three children had been sexually abused at a mission-run school. We had given our lives to serve God. . . . Why didn’t He protect us?” I would hear similar stories at that conference—people who felt betrayed by God.
Surely there are blessings inherent to following the Lord, including protection from evil (Psalm 91:9-12, Psalm 121:5-8). But to invoke such promises like a spell, expecting a calamity-free life, is to go awry. Jesus said we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). He did.
As a child, Jesus’ life was under threat (Matthew 2:13). As an adult, He was hunted by authorities (Luke 13:31). A mob tried to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:29), and He had a finance manager who embezzled His funds (John 12:4-6). A plot was hatched by religious leaders to take His life (John 11:47-53)—one which ultimately succeeded.
Jesus gave His all to follow the Father. He was perfectly in God’s will. The result? Trouble. Even those touched by His ministry were in jeopardy (John 12:10-11).
“Jesus gave us only two promises,” another conference attendee told me after sharing his own pain: “To be with us to the end of the age, and to wipe every tear from our eye” (Matthew 28:20; Revelation 21:4). After hearing the man’s words, and those of others who had suffered, I learned something: God may not protect us from every evil, but He will always get the victory. After crucifixion came the resurrection.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 5:1-39
More:
Read 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 to be reminded of Paul’s hardships in following God’s will.
Next:
From what can we expect God to protect us? What can we do when we feel betrayed by Him?
alseeking on June 25, 2014 at 3:41 am
Dear Sheridan
Recently, Miriam Ibrahim was sentenced to death by a court in the north-east African country of the Sudan for converting to Christianity and marrying a non-Muslim. Muslim women in Sudan are prohibited from marrying non-Muslims, though Muslim men can marry outside their faith. I bring this up to highlight injustice & persecution in other faiths too towards women & Christians. This is wrong too. She was released from jail after international protest. She had given birth in the prison. The latest news is that she has been re-arrested. Let’s pray she is released again & not persecuted.
I have also known people who have took their own lives, due to depression & very poor self-worth. One man was a devout Catholic, a kind, generous and devout Christian. However, he developed deep depression & killed himself, despite his faith & medical ‘help’.
Another, hung himself because he was told by ‘Christians’ that God didn’t love gays. He felt so bad inside he went on to do this.
So, it’s not just ‘the world’ & the devil that can attack people, it’s the religious people too, like you describe in the accompanying Bible verses about those in power during Jesus’s time. They saw Jesus as a threat. God protected Him until the time of His crucifixion & glorious resurrection.
People are influenced by the world, be they religious or non-religious & do very bad things.
If we believe what the Bible says, there is a ‘spiritual war’ going on. So put on the armour of God and pray for God’s protection & his angels everyday.
Also, weed out those in trusted places who abuse others, not just sexually, but in whatever form that abuse takes, both in religious communities, but others places too, where there are vulnerable children & adults.
In my childhood, and latter in life, I have personally had experiences of being emotionally & physically abused, attempted suicide, & have self-harmed.
These experiences have scared me and I have to take it a day at a time, read my Bible, pray, meditate, & go to regular communion. And be assertive and stand up to the bullies.
Let’s pray for one another, and remember God is Love and is always with us, even in the darkest of places. It might not feel like it at times, but they are the times we need God most & need to call on His name, through Jesus Christ.
Bless you Sheridan for bringing this day’s reading to the world.
Sheridan Voysey on June 25, 2014 at 11:49 am
Thank you so much for sharing this, alseeking. You know what i read in this comment of yours? Empathy. Your heart breaks with the heart break of others. The deep pain you’ve experienced has turned into a concern for what others experience.
God bless you for that – and may God use you to continue helping those who hurt, and those of us who need to remember those who hurt.
GChoo on June 25, 2014 at 5:09 am
Sheridan, it’s definitely a very difficult truth to comprehend. However, thank you for the scriptures pointing out that Jesus and those who trusted God went through all sorts of persecution during their time in this world. Also in reminding us that our victorious God will definitely bring these evil works to an end, and be persistent in keeping close to His Word.
Dear Alseeking, so sorry to hear about your past difficult experience and thank you for sharing them. Praying that God’s continuing healing over you and fill you with more of His love, peace and comfort always. You have been a great blessing and encouragement to us with your testimony. God bless.
Sheridan Voysey on June 25, 2014 at 11:49 am
Amen.
jessie1 on June 25, 2014 at 8:02 am
Alseeking, you are in my prayers for the trials you and people you care about have gone through. I think more people have suffered in the name of Christianity than by any other method. The thing is, if people are made to suffer under the guise of false Christianity, it is not following the true words of the Savior. I truly believe that when we exercised free will in the Garden of Eden by disobeying God, humans forfeited the complete protection from misfortune that we could have enjoyed if we had only been more obedient.We are experiencing the wages of sin every day. For me, I take comfort in the fact that because I believe in the one true God, no matter what I have to endure on this earthly world, one day I will be granted a peaceful, pain-free existence for eternity in Heaven with all who know the joy of believing in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you each day.
Sheridan Voysey on June 25, 2014 at 11:51 am
Yes! Thank you, jessie1.
joo_sg on June 25, 2014 at 5:23 pm
What happened to the missionary’s children is a tragedy. I think it brings to bear the stark truth that a lot of us forget our FISRT place of ministry is our home, our children, even with missionaries, pastors, leaders etc. The Holy Spirit could have prompted many times but they could have omitted the prompting of the Spirit regarding the state of their child in their busyness serving Him. God is omnipotent but God is not omni-causal. When bad things happen we always blame and question Him but not whether we have mistaken His will and ways for His thoughts are not ours. But in every tragic situation He can cause good to come out it. I pray the family will find comfort, healing, hope and strength in Him to rebuild their lives again.
Sheridan Voysey on June 26, 2014 at 1:47 am
I agree with you joo_sg that ministry begins in the home, and that we too often blame God when something goes wrong. But let’s be very clear that these missionary parents were NOT to blame for the abuse their children endured – the abusers were. Such abusers are well known to use all manner of tactics to intimidate and keep their victims silent about what is going. And we have no way of knowing if the missionaries were ‘too busy’ to hear the Spirit prompt them about what was happening.
LCC on June 27, 2014 at 5:07 am
Thank you for sharing Alseeking. I am sorry to hear of what Miriam Ibrahim is going through and the situation in Sudan. Am praying for her.
In my country, the bibles in the native language were confiscated and the word God in the native language is banned from use in the local christian publication. I can only find comfort and peace in the Word of God, and stand on the Word of God as what Sheridan’s article. I like this article. It shared on the reality and ugliness of this part of the world and yet reminding us it doesn’t end there! Let us rejoice, for the Lord said though we will have trouble in this world but He has overcome the world! Hallelujah! 🙂
Mike Wittmer on June 29, 2014 at 7:52 pm
These stories are so difficult to hear. Thank you for pointing us to our true hope. Rev. 21:4 does say He will wipe every tear from our eyes. This implies that many of us will show up with tears that must be wiped away.
Winn Collier on July 4, 2014 at 12:58 am
A steady spate of awful news about friends and colleagues in dire situations, suffering and at a loss – it simply leaves me asking for mercy.