Psalms 5:11, New King James Version

"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You."

What is God’s “umbrella of protection” and how do we stay under it in the home, in the workplace, and in other areas of life? 

Picture this, God is standing beside you with an umbrella. Now, it’s not one of those little compact umbrellas that flip up with the wind comes and you still get soaked. No, it’s a giant golf umbrella, big and sturdy and as you walk along the way with him, his umbrella protects you from the storm. Your feet might still get a little wet, but the rain and hail bounce safely off of you.

But many times, we walk away from God. We go our own way, and as a result, walk away from His protection, His blessings. God didn’t leave us, we left Him.

And when the storms come, we get wet. And then we blame God. But He didn’t go anywhere. He is still standing at that intersection, where we left Him, with His umbrella, waiting for us to come back.

There are some things to know about God's umbrella.

We must choose to stay under the umbrella. There are still times when I walk right out from under the covering God has given me. I get frustrated, scared, and angry. So, I walk out into the storm. I notice sadness creeping in, hope disappearing, and I look down to find I am soaking wet. That’s when I need to head back to God’s umbrella to dry off again.

Second, the umbrella doesn't make the storm go away. God’s umbrella has kept me from getting soaked. It has given me peace, hope, and even joy in the midst of the hardest time I have ever faced. But I am still in a storm. I used to think I had to have a smile plastered on my face all the time. Now I have learned that it’s okay to admit I am hurting. It’s okay to say I am struggling. It actually seems God gets more glory when people know I am in a storm and He’s the only reason I am making it through.

His umbrella is there for protection, but He won't make us come under it. We have to choose to use His umbrella. We do that by seeking Him and trusting Him in every detail of our lives. He is there waiting for us to come stand under His umbrella. He wants nothing more than to protect us from life’s storms.

Father, thank you for your umbrella of protection, thank You for protecting us in the storms we face and blessings that are freely given to all who seek you!