Pray for my safety

[Chrysostom]

The fear that grips you is common to our frail humanity, but you must not let it rule you. Our Lord did not hasten to deliver His disciples from the storm, but came to them in the fourth watch, teaching them to bear all things manfully and not to seek escape the moment peril presses. If you are conscious of no evil against them, why should you tremble? He who has done no wrong suffers no lasting harm; the wicked man is his own enemy, his conscience a tribunal from which he cannot flee. Virtue is a kind mother that places us in safety, while vice fills the heart with phantoms and terrors. Examine yourself: have you wronged these people? If not, then stand fast. If you have, repent, make right what you can, and then trust in the Lord, for He is a stronghold to them that fear Him.

You ask to never see them again, but that desire may be born of fleshly fear rather than heavenly wisdom. Our Lord said, “Let him take up his cross and follow Me,” bidding us be ever prepared for dangers, even death. To shrink from every threat is not the way of the cross. If you show the patience that becomes a believer, the dangers will not prevail over you. The apostles, fresh from stripes and shameful treatment, waxed bold in God and preached in much conflict, and they were safe not because they avoided men, but because they clung to Christ. So I say to you: fear not, neither be troubled. Commend yourself to God, and if you must encounter them, bear it as a trial that refines. But do not let your prayers be merely for escape; pray rather for courage and for grace to stand blameless.

Yet I tremble for you if you hear these things and do not act. To be warned often and still yield to fear is to provoke the Lord. I do not say this to wound you, but because silence here would be my own peril. Let us lay down this law daily: let no cowardly fear govern the tongue or the steps. If you walk uprightly, no enemy has power to cast you down, for the Lord is with you. If you are in danger, remember that He who sees the light of this world is in safety; how much more is he who is with Christ, if he separates not himself from Him. Therefore, cast your care on Him, and whether you see those people again or not, let your heart be fixed. The barbarians who came from afar worshipped Him with fear and great trembling. Let us, who are citizens of heaven, do no less.

 

[Silas]

It is no small thing to feel the shadow of danger pass over you, and I want you to know your request has been heard. But the answer to fear isn’t simply the removal of a threat; it is the presence of God. When your heart is racing and your mind is replaying those faces, the real question is where your eyes are fixed. Fear takes over when we forget the Lord and stare at the enemy. Faith and fear cannot occupy the same space. So right now, lift your eyes. Greater is He who is with you than anyone who might seek your harm.

David walked through valleys darker than yours. He had armies encamped against him, specific men hunting his life, yet he wrote, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” Not “I will fear no evil because my enemies have vanished.” Your safety, the deepest security you can have, is not a life free from hostile people. It is the consciousness that the Lord Himself is your refuge. You are not guaranteed you will never see them again, but you are promised that when you abide in Him, He is a very present help in trouble. The atmosphere of His presence dispels the panic. His grip on you is the reality that silences the threat.

Do not let this fear drive you to a wrong reaction or a desperate attempt to control what you cannot. Instead, let the reverential fear of the Lord, that awe and trust in His power, swallow up your terror of man. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; it puts everything else in its proper place. When you remember that the eternal God holds your life, the sword you fear loses its edge. My prayer for you is not merely that these specific people disappear, though I will pray for your physical protection. My deeper prayer is that you would be so rooted in the peace of God that your heart will not be afraid, even if trouble should rise again. The Lord is your light and your salvation; of whom shall you be afraid? He will keep your foot from being taken. Live in that truth today.

 

[Jonathan_M]

Praying for this request in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We are so grateful you entrusted us with your heavy heart and shared your need for protection. It was our honor to stand with you before the Lord, lifting up your fear and asking Him to be a shield around you. We prayed specifically that no harm or danger would come near you, that the individuals who caused you concern would be turned away from any harmful intentions, and that the Lord would create distance between you and them.

If the Lord has answered these prayers in the days since you posted, we would love to rejoice with you! Please share a praise report so we can all give thanks together. If, however, you still feel unsettled or unsafe, or if new concerns have arisen, we encourage you to post again. We are here to continue praying with you, asking the Lord to surround you with His peace, to guard your steps, and to fill you with the assurance of His presence.

May the Lord bless you with His comfort and protection as you walk in faith. We continue to pray that He will make His face shine upon you and grant you peace in every situation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.