Does God protect us from the devil?
A reflective narrative about faith, suffering, and the role of God in the world.
While on vacation in Phoenix, a friend from out of state visited Turning Point USA to honor Charlie Kirk. In awe, she snapped a photo of the massive complex. Overcome with sorrow, she wondered how a young man, not yet seeing his 32nd birthday, had accomplished so much? And what could he have achieved with more time?
My friend lamented and felt the pain of the loss. She sent me the photo of the makeshift memorial with the message:
“So hard to swallow God’s plans most of the time. I know His timing is not ours… I struggle with that.”
Timing, God’s timing and our timing, are not the same. In the Bible, 2 Peter 3:8 it says, With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
In accepting God’s timing, we learn patience. In Psalms 37:7, it says, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways; when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
On my quest for a closer relationship with the Lord, I have learned about “the plan.” Even Charlie’s death is part of the plan. God’s plan. Still, my attempts to understand have failed, leaving me confused.
The world is broken. The absence of God in the hearts of many has allowed evil to flourish. There are folks whose hearts are open to evil. This evil can convince them that people like Charlie, a loyal man who served God, deserves to die. They couldn’t have known Charlie’s message.
Divided, we are on opposite sides in a world where we should all share the same morals. If some can compromise their values and justify murder by reasoning that guys like Charlie get what they deserve, those people still don’t get it. They probably never will.
Near Phoenix, on a shady patio in the backyard of a modest home sits a group of women. The warm breeze comforts them as they begin their meeting. Gathering for fellowship and support, these women soak in the panoramic view of the Catalina Mountains standing tall around them. As the afternoon sun lights up the craggy rocks of the mountainside, the scenery seems to enhance the energy surrounding the women.
Meeting a few times a month, this group enjoys friendships built upon faith and things they have in common. These women have invited me into the fold. As a newbie, I like to stay seen and not heard. Taking turns, each woman speaks from the heart about her thoughts and feelings. The subject of the day is the Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Spirit lives in the heart of everyone who worships God,” says one lady.
“When we pray,” explains another, “it is the Holy Spirit that sends the message to God.”
I contemplate the Holy Spirit as a middleman, a holding place for God to manage the many prayers He receives. I smile when I imagine the Holy Spirit as the cool guy at work, laid back and casual, but every bit the professional. The Holy Spirit is essential for the work to get done, but the workload never bothers Him. God carries the weight of responsibility. The Holy Spirit, interprets our prayers into a format so God can better answer us.
Once it’s my turn to speak, I announce I’m reading the Book of Job.
“I am only part way through, so no spoilers please,” I say before asking a question, “if the devil can torment Job, who was a righteous man and not a sinner, then how am I to believe that God will protect me? If God allowed the devil to destroy Job, what chance have I?”
I was talking about myself and Job but was also thinking about Charlie Kirk. Did God protect Charlie?
A group member responded to my original question, “If we pray and worship, the Bible says God protects us from the devil.”
I digested her words as started comparing Job to Charlie Kirk. The two are both righteous men. They prayed and worshipped. Why didn’t God protect them? Did prayer help either of them?
Another lady chimes in, “The Bible also clarifies that the devil can only do what God allows, hence the reason to fear God. It is God who has the power over all.”
This confuses me more. Without a filter, I blurt out, “If the devil wants to hurt us, God’s children, then why risk the devil’s wrath?” I pause and then ask, “If the devil sees me as a nonbeliever, he will pay me no mind. Why not just stay under the radar?”
The women sat for a moment, then one, whose Bible was open and ready for referencing, spoke up. She read, “In Peter 5, verse 10, the Bible says, ‘And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.’”
Another pause, a contemplative moment, then the conversation moved on. My thoughts stayed put. Remembering the photo of the memorial, I thought of Charlie. His heart was overflowing with the Holy Spirit. When the devil-inspired assassin struck, God’s grace took Charlie “to his eternal glory in Christ”. If anyone deserves to go to heaven, it’s Charlie.
Charlie accomplished more in his short lifetime than most of us ever do. I think Charlie’s legacy needed to expand. Though he’s no longer here, Charlie lives on, with even more influence. And from a better place near God.
The women’s chitchat slowed down, and as the sun moved lower in the sky, the group meeting ended. We shared a last prayer, made plans for our next session, and everyone went on their way.
On the short drive back to my house, with my thoughts running circles, I contemplated some more. Job was an honest and righteous man who became the target of the devil. The devil wanted to show God that he could turn Job against the Lord, and God gave the devil permission to try. God allowed the devil to torment Job.
First, the devil brought evil around Job, took his wealth and family away from him, but did not physically harm Job himself. Through the torment, Job remained steadfast in his faith.
Frustrated that he couldn’t shake Job’s devotion to the Lord, the devil renegotiated. Next, the devil was permitted to inflict physical pain on Job just short of killing him.
Suffering from disease and disfigurement, Job lived on, but he complained. Job’s friends visited and advised Job to admit his sins, repent, and be free from the turmoil. Job stuck to the truth; he hadn’t sinned. He was suffering a fate he didn’t deserve. In front of his friends, he questioned God’s sense of justice.
When God speaks to Job, he doesn’t explain why Job had to suffer. God was showing Job His power, and Job soon realized God had His reasons. God’s ways were not for Job to understand. It wasn’t about Job, and yet, Job took it personally.
Back to Charlie, my thoughts coalesce. Charlie must have been near the top of the devil’s list of foes. He was an intentional target of one man obsessed with the evil circulating through our society. But evil played the short game. The devil chose Charlie, and those in our society infected with the devil rejoiced. But in reality, all they did was unleash God’s glory in ways we can only imagine. In death, Charlie’s influence will continue in monumental ways. In the end, God wins.
If the devil brings suffering into my life, it is only of this world. Even if I keep my faith in God and pray to the Holy Spirit, I may still suffer in this life. God can’t stop the devil from bringing people and events into our lives that cause pain and loss. But that is not a reason to abandon God. What God offers is eternity. God will still be with us in the afterlife as promised.
Romans 8:38-39 says, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons…. nor any powers, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God.”
In considering Job and the Holy Spirit, I am filled with faith renewed. I’m not saying it would make me happy to be the target of the devil the way Job was, and certainly not the way evil came after Charlie. But tribulations give us the chance to strengthen our relationship with the Lord. Even death will not prevent us from joining Jesus in our Father’s house.
When I arrived home, my puggle came to greet me. Inside, my husband was waiting, so the three of us could go for a walk. In the peaceful neighborhood, there is a touch of coolness in the air. As the sun sets, the breeze has also finished its work for the day, and the stillness is inspiring.
Nothing can lift my spirits like the smile of a dog.
As I walk, I lift my eyes to the sky in gratitude. Filled with contentment for my life with my dog, my husband and the good days I am fortunate to have, I feel the sweetness of joy. Tonight, I will pray for the ladies in my group who share their hearts and words. Their collective knowledge is bringing me closer to God.
For those who have yet to acknowledge the Holy Trinity in this world, I pray my story may touch your heart and lead you closer. I do not pray for it, but if the devil so desires, let him take a crack at me. I welcome the chance to prove my faith.
