I received an email this morning that said this:

"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."

Sounds good, doesn't it? But how true is it? That depends on how you look at it.

One way to read that saying is that when you are in God's will, He will protect you from physical harm. Are we always protected from harm? What about my brother, who got punched in the face one time for witnessing to a fellow? Did he suffer harm because he was out of God's will? Are the brave believers who suffer torture and death for their stand for Christ, out of God's will?

While I have heard of and experienced many times God's blessings and protection from harm, I do not believe that being right with God is an automatic shield of protection from physical harm.

Another way to read that saying is that when you are in God's will, His grace can keep you in spite of adverse circumstances! We who are His own can experience security in His grace, whether experiencing a storm or smooth sailing, and peace that no one around us can understand. If you have been a child of God for any length of time, I'm sure you can identify!

Even though we are walking with the Lord (and sometimes because we are walking with the Lord), Christians WILL suffer adversity and hardships. The difference is that those who have a relationship with the Creator are able to rise above those circumstances and ride out the storm with calm assurance instead of fear and uncertainty.