I want to bubblewrap my kids.
You know what I mean. Deep in every loving person's heart is the desire to protect those we truly love from physical, mental, emotional and spiritual harm. We want to shelter them from the bullies, we want to keep them out of hurtful relationships, and if someone treats them unfairly, we go to battle for them. Although the mother bear in me stays completely hidden most of the time, she comes out with all vengeance and force when one of my boys is hurting.
Needless to say, with my boys all going through serious problems, and with the pressures they were dealing with at work and school and home, I have been quoted many times of late as saying: "Bring on that bubblewrap!"
I mentioned this once to my firstborn. His response? "But mom, if you bubblewraped us, we wouldn't grow!"
What a moment of maturity...And he is so right!
As I was contemplating this, it occurred to me that God doesn't even "bubblewrap" us. He allows us to go through problems: "...In this world you will have trouble..." (John 14:33b NIV). Let's also remember that even Jesus wasn't "bubblewraped": "but for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame..." (Heb. 12:2b NIV). The end result? Salvation for mankind: "In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered." (Heb. 2:10 NIV).
Okay, if good comes through suffering and if Jesus wasn't even bubblewrapped, how can I truly wish to bubblewrap my boys?
I took this to the Lord in prayer then, and I repented of wanting to shield them from all harm. Instead, I handed them, along with their myriads of problems, to the One who can solve them all. I was immediately overwhelmed with peace, the peace that passes all understanding (See Phil. 4:7), and I felt such joy, the joy that can only come from the presence of God (See Ps. 16:11). Suddenly I could see myself and my boys, not submersed in the problems, but floating above them...as if encased in a...bubble! God had just bubblewrapped my boys--and me too! It didn't mean we wouldn't go through problems. Instead, it meant He would carry us through unscathed and growing in the Lord!
Does that sound like a fantasy? Too good to be true?
Consider God's Word: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV). Though we are told we will go through trouble, Jesus says that we may have His peace, for He has overcome the world.
Consider also the following text: "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4 NIV). No matter what, we WILL overcome!
Still not convinced? "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." (Isaiah 26:3 NIV). When we remain steadfast in Christ, when we place our trust in Him, we have...Perfect peace!
I could go on listing numerous other Bible texts such as Ps. 16:11, Rev. 2:10, 3:21, etc; but I think the point is clear: Though we are not shielded from problems, there is a "bubblewrap" for us all. We simply need to surrender our problems to Him: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). When we do, we are bubblewrapped by the Father Himself! We will pass through those valleys, yes, but we will emerge victorious, growing in our faith, stronger in the Lord and full of His joy.
Bubblewrap, anyone? I know a really good brand...
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
