Proteção me traz

Bring me protection.

Last night I was thinking a bit about security and all of the things that make me feel safe. I didn’t think of things like bars on my windows or dead bolt locks on my door. That’s just one small kind of safety. I was thinking about things that make me feel safe in life as a whole. So today, a list of some of those.

I was also feeling very safe last night too, and so that influenced my list just a little bit too.42D

Math – Math makes me feel secure when I can add up all the numbers and know that I’ll be able to pay all my bills, eat, drive when I need to, and not be out of money at the end of the month. Balancing my check book is actually quite soothing to me because it reminds me that I’m not completely poor and horribly in debt and I’m not going to starve and be homeless. (I balanced my check book today, if you couldn’t tell.)

Trust – When I can trust the people around me to respect me and to not harm me, that makes me feel secure. There is a lot people can do that is bad to other people. But when I am with someone and I can trust them to be good, that is a very good feeling.

Knowledge – Knowledge really is power. The more I know about what is around me, about what is going on, the more I can explain a situation, the better I feel about that situation. It’s the unknown with it’s infinite possibilities that can be scary. So the more I learn, the more education I get and the more critical thinking skills I develop, the more secure I am.

Faith – Faith in eternal principles. Really, if you have that, you don’t need much else. They are always there. They do not change. You can know them. You can trust in them. They include all that is good and beautiful and right in the world.

With Nephi I can say:

… Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time. And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me. And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them. … O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen. (2 Nephi 4:19-25; 34-35)

One of my favorite scriptural phrases is “in the strength of the Lord” (Exodus 13:3, 14, 16; Psalms 71:16; Micah 5:4; 1 Nephi 4:31; Words of Mormon 1:14; Mosiah 9:17, 10:10-11; Alma 20:4, 46:20, 60:16, 61:18; 3 Nephi 4:10).

I trust in that strength. I know of times in my life when that strength has upheld me. And I have faith in that strength. Strength such as that is strength that makes you feel safe.