Divine Protection

One of my favorite aspects of my job is working with the elderly population. Because like children, old people say the darnedest things. It seems like the older we get, our filter and perception of what people think of us, goes right out the window. I find it kind of liberating but mostly amusing. Recently, I was imaging one of my elderly patients and I could feel her beady eyes staring at me, scanning my face. She abruptly blurts out “Are you married?” I responded, “No, I’m single. Have anyone in mind for me?” I was trying to make light of her invasive question but also hoping it would squash any further discussion. Completely unbothered, she quickly followed up with “Why is someone like you still single?” I didn’t know if I should feel offended or take it as a compliment. Either way, it’s a cringing question that no single woman in her mid-thirties ever wants to hear. Without missing a beat, I confidently responded, “Because I am not willing to settle for anything less than I deserve.” Her 80-something year old wrinkly lips pulled taut to reveal her gummy and mostly toothless smile, “Very good, honey” she replied.

My response is honest. It doesn’t come from a place of entitlement or unrealistic expectations either (meaning I’m not wanting a partner who is 6’5″, in finance, with a trust fund, and blue eyes). Superficially, that might sound nice, but it’s definitely not the end goal. While factors of chemistry, compatibility, and shared beliefs/values remain imperative, I ultimately deserve to be with a masculine man that respects himself and respects me effortlessly.

After my interaction with my patient, I was led to reflect on my past relationships, situationships, and/or encounters: from my first boyfriend to my most recent and horrific Bumble date nightmare. I could see it all so clearly and why they never work out: the ‘toxic bad boy’, the ‘addict/alcoholic’, the ‘narcissist’, the ‘noncommittal’, the ‘mama’s boy’, the ‘failure to launch’ (living at home), or the absolute worst case scenario, someone who exhibits a combination of these. I’ve always thought that I was still single simply because I hadn’t ‘met the one’ yet. While that may be true, my perspective has deepened. While timing is everything, I think it’s more about the lessons we learn after every mistake and walking red flag. You see, they say God will keep sending you the same lesson over and over until it’s learned and I’m a real life testament to the truth in this. While many may feel sad and take pity in a relationship not working out, God sees it as His Divine Protection.

Divine protection, what is it? Divine protection is the concept of being safeguarded by a higher power (God) from harm, providing physical and spiritual safety through faith, prayer, scripture, and spiritual practices — acting as a shield against evil, and offering peace and guidance, though it doesn’t necessarily prevent all trials, but assures presence and ultimate good. When something or someone isn’t for you, it’s believed that God sends guardian angels signaling signs of a reality check by disrupting you in your path or slowing you down so your soul can finally breath. If the signs are ignored, it will end up being expensive on your spirit.

I enjoy the thought of this as I like to picture my brother, dad, and grandma as my perfect guardian angels, protecting me from the evil and demons of this world.

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways”. Psalm 91:11

What does this look like? Divine protection comes from other seemingly missed relationships and opportunities such as friendships, jobs, and it also comes in the form of things finally being revealed to you. Doors closing softly; not to punish you, but to spare you from rooms that would have asked you to shrink, settle, or abandon your peace. Even misalignment is alignment. Some things will end so you can see the possibility of a new beginning, some things shift so you can see what wasn’t meant to stay, and some things leave so you can remember the path that leads back to yourself.

Regretfully, I didn’t take the opportunity to ask my elderly patient about her past love/relationship(s) and I really wish I had. Did she ask me because she was hoping to open up a discussion about her own love life? Was she recently widowed? Did she marry her high school sweetheart? Did she ever find love? Or perhaps she had many loves throughout her several decades of life on this earth. It will all remain unknown. What I do know is: for the first time in my life, I can truthfully say I am content and grateful in my season of solitude. During these moments I can heal the parts of myself that feared the truth and found comfort in any illusions. I can love the parts of myself that felt unworthy because of the past. And I am able to learn to trust again by validating my intuition. I am allowing myself to grow and blossom into the very best version of myself.

There is so much power in accepting that someone isn’t for you and there is so much freedom in finding acceptance in the route that you are being directed into.

I am Divinely Protected. It’s not only peaceful, but it is beautifully more than enough…

“Most of our frustration isn’t with life itself. It’s with people refusing to meet our expectations. And the moment we accept that we can’t control them is the moment God invites us to let them. Let them walk because who leaves, reveals who you are becoming. God is filtering distractions, dependencies, and even relationships that would dilute what He’s forming in you.” Pastor Mike Jr.