Protection Is Also Preservation

Devotional From The Sermon: The Anxiety-Free Life: Living Under God’s Protection

Rev. Dr. Bankole Akinbinu

Reading: Daniel 3:19-27

Devotional:

God’s protection doesn’t always mean prevention from trials. Sometimes it means preservation through them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego weren’t kept from the furnace; they were kept in the furnace. The difference is profound. Like the motorcyclist whose shattered helmet absorbed the damage that never reached his skull, God often shields us in the midst of danger rather than removing the danger entirely. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not destroy you.

This is the peace that surpasses understanding. Not the absence of battle, but the presence of God in the battle. Today, reframe your perspective. Instead of asking God why He didn’t prevent your trial, thank Him for preserving you through it. Your testimony isn’t that you never faced fire, but that you came through without even the smell of smoke.

Reflection:

• Think of a recent or past “furnace” season in your life. Looking back, where can you now see God’s preserving hand, even though He didn’t prevent the trial?
• How would your attitude toward your current challenges change if you shifted your prayers from “Lord, get me out” to “Lord, preserve me and reveal Yourself in the midst of this”?