We heard it repeated. Often. “Being in the center of God’s will is the safest place to be.”
Well, yes.
But safest can be interpreted in different ways.
We were living in a city where Taliban congregated and proliferated.
One political party’s slogan read “Sell your televisions and buy guns.” As they sought to overthrow the ruling party by force.
Safest was not the first word that came to mind.
Not safe
Our city wasn’t safe. By any stretch of the imagination.
Everywhere you looked, men were carrying AK-47s.
RPGs (rocket-propelled-grenades) were taking out police stations on a regular basis.
Pillboxes were set up by the military at intersections in our neighborhood. Guns aimed at the traffic. For several months, a tank parked at the roundabout where our grocery store was located.
In 1995, we left to visit the United States for several months. Our Swiss Air flight took off and shot straight up in the sky. Gaining altitude rapidly.
Why? Because instigators of unrest had been firing rounds at commercial aircraft.
Assurance
In those years of violence, we searched His Word. Sought wise counsel.
Prayed. Cried out for wisdom.
And received assurance. Several times. To remain there.
In the city to which He’d led us. A place we called home. With the people who became dear to our hearts.
We began to say, “Being in the center of God’s will isn’t always the safest place to be. But it’s the best place to be.”
1998
In 1998, a friend of ours was in the market the day after the US fired missiles into a neighboring country.
One of the sellers pointed to a newspaper in the local dialect. “This says if I kill you, I get $10,000.”
That’s when we learned there was a bounty on the head of any American man, woman, or child.
Put out by one not so well-known at the time. Osama Bin Laden.
Evacuated
We evacuated to another Asian country. Along with a number of other friends and co-workers.
It was a time to process and pray together. Consider options. Seeking the Lord on whether or not we were to return.
Family members called. Crying. “How can you take those precious children back to a terrorist country?”
Todd and I struggled. Wept. Prayed some more.
And tried to give our three young children a sense of normalcy in the midst of upheaval and uncertainty. Living out of suitcases in hotels and guesthouses.
His will
One week the Lord confirmed His will to each of us separately.
Todd was having his personal quiet time with the Lord. I was going through a Bible study workbook on Paul.
When we came together to discuss the decision, imagine our surprise. The Lord had spoken to us through the same passage of Scripture. Acts 18:9-11.
“The Lord said to Paul in a night vision, ‘Don’t be afraid, but keep on speaking and don’t be silent. For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.’ He stayed there a year and a half, teaching the word of God among them.”
The Lord at work
That year, the Lord worked in different ways among our group that had evacuated together.
Some returned to the United States. Others moved into new places of service. The rest of us returned to our homes in Pakistan.
Over the next year, the Lord revealed to Todd and me more believers who were seeking to share the gospel in our city.
He had “many people” in that city. People we did not know about.
It was an amazing year. Our hearts were greatly encouraged. We saw how He was at work.
Safest place
No matter where He leads, the Lord is present with us.
It may not look like the safest place to be. But trusting Him in the midst of everything is truly worth it all.
He never leaves us or forsakes us.
He is our safest place.
Great is His faithfulness.
What about you?
How has the Lord confirmed His will to you as you seek Him in the Word and prayer?
Related posts
Wounded – Forgetful – This is why – When I am afraid – Place – To live is Christ – Night watch – Threads – The rest of the story – Keep singing – Faithful witness – Looking for beauty – Missing beauty – International fellowship – Provision –
Isaiah 58:11 – Hebrews 13:5-6 – Hebrews 13:14 – Acts 18:9-11 – Lamentations 3:21-26 –
9 replies on “Safest place”
Over and over God has confirmed I am where I should be. Most recently by a deep peace in the midst of renewing permission to remain.
Praise God!
I used to be one of those who quoted being in the center of Gods will is the safest place you can be. Over time, I saw many of those people I firmly believed who were doing Gods will encounter issues including death, I had to change to being in the center of Gods will is the only place to be. He is right there with you but bad things do happen. We don’t always know why those bad things happen but we know they do. Ours is not always to understand but we do need trust that He knows why and we understand. Serving on the crisis action team I saw more than I ever wanted to. We dealt with horrible events and didn’t always immediately understand the why. But it did increase my dependence on Him and praying for understanding of His ways.
Thank you, brother. It’s “the only place to be”! Amen. And thank you for your many years of serving Him in this critically important way.
There is no truly safe place in this lost and dying world. I’ve told many people I felt safer in some of the places we lived more than the Walmart parking lot! Staying in the center of his will even when unrest and wars abound takes a strength that will always be foolishness in the eyes of the world. However, sometimes he also tells us to leave, allowing us to live to see another day and serve another place or people. Paul moved quickly as much as he stayed put, so there is no silver bullet to understanding what to do. I prefer to say God’s will is the place of peace, as David said, it’s not always the safest. I talk about this in my book “When Doors Close: Navigating Change in Cross-cultural Service,” and it was a hard chapter to write, believe me. I thank God he gave you peace to stay and be part of what he was continuing to do at that time in that place, and I’m also thankful he allowed you to safely leave when the time came to move on.
Yes, reading Paul’s statement about God rescuing him in all of those places (2 Tim 3:10f)…then studying what happened to him in said places was very comforting. Sometimes he went through stoning. Other times he escaped beforehand. Always, God was with him.🙌🏼
I think it’s the still the safest place to be but not physical safety. It’s safe because we are in His will and obeying Him.
God confirms with me through different ways–something from the Word or something He impresses on my heart. Or something someone says or circumstances. Usually several of these things.
Amen. Thank you for sharing 😊
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