What Two Fighting Minks Taught Me About God’s Protection
Have you ever been reminded of God’s character in a place you weren’t expecting? Sometimes those reminders come during prayer or while reading Scripture. Other times, apparently, they come in the form of two angry minks fighting beside a river in Spain.
I certainly wasn’t expecting a spiritual lesson that day. My wife and I were simply taking a walk when something in the grass suddenly got our attention.
When a Peaceful Walk Wasn’t So Peaceful
My wife and I were walking along the river, chatting and enjoying our surroundings, when a commotion erupted in the grass beside us. Two black minks came wrestling out onto the sidewalk. They were snarling and fighting, completely unaware that we were standing nearby. For relatively small animals, they were making an incredible amount of noise. Their ferocious exchange sounded more like something I’d expect from a lynx.
Then, almost as quickly as they’d appeared, the ball of fury rolled back into the tall grass and disappeared. Everything became quiet again. A few bits of fur floated in the wind. “What was that?” I asked with a laugh as we continued walking.
It was certainly memorable. But the more I thought about what we’d witnessed, the more those little creatures reminded me of something much bigger.
Don’t Let Their Size Fool You
Minks may look graceful, but apparently you don’t want to pick a fight with one. They’re known for their fur, agile movements, and skill as hunters. They’re also fiercely territorial. When a rival gets too close to its territory or mate, a mink is prepared to defend what belongs to it.
Watching those two animals go after one another gave me an entirely different picture of them. And it also got me thinking about the One who defends us.
Psalm 28:7 says:
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.”
A shield isn’t merely decorative. It’s there for protection. Throughout Scripture, we’re reminded that God is our refuge, strength, defender, and help. Yet when trouble comes, I sometimes forget that. Maybe you do too.
We Aren’t Meant to Fight Every Battle Alone
When difficulties arise, our first instinct is often to figure out how to handle them. Plans begin forming. Conversations get replayed in our minds. Before long, we’re anticipating everything that could go wrong and searching for ways to protect ourselves and the people we love.
There’s nothing wrong with taking appropriate action when something needs to be done. But somewhere along the way, it’s easy to start believing the outcome rests entirely on our shoulders.
It doesn’t. The God who walks beside us is stronger than anything that stands before us. Those fighting minks reminded me of Jesus, our protector and defender, who willingly gave His life to save us. We belong to Him, and nothing can separate us from His love. Sometimes the most important thing we can do in the middle of a battle is remember who stands with us.
God Is Our Strength and Shield
Psalm 28:7 doesn’t say, “The Lord gives me a few pointers so I can handle everything myself.”
David says the Lord is his strength and shield. There’s a difference.
Exhaustion may leave me feeling weak, but He remains strong. An uncertain future doesn’t leave God confused. Threatening circumstances never take Him by surprise or beyond His control. And on the days I begin believing everything depends on me, Scripture reminds me that it never did.
Trusting God doesn’t mean difficult circumstances instantly disappear. It means we don’t have to face them as though we’re alone. Our confidence comes from knowing who stands with us.
Trouble Doesn’t Get the Final Word
Sometimes the battles we face are obvious.
- A financial crisis.
- Conflict in a relationship.
- A frightening diagnosis.
- A difficult decision.
Other battles happen quietly inside us. Fear, temptation, discouragement, doubt, or the feeling that we’re simply too tired to keep going. Whatever form the struggle takes, trouble has a way of demanding our attention. It can become so loud that we forget everything else.
Those minks certainly knew how to make some noise. For a few moments, their fight completely interrupted our peaceful walk. Then they disappeared into the grass, and silence returned.
That image has stayed with me. Our difficulties can make plenty of noise too. They can convince us that the battle happening right now is all that matters. But the noise doesn’t change who God is. He is still our strength and shield. He is always with us.
Keep Walking the Path God Has Given You
After our unexpected wildlife encounter, my wife and I continued our stroll. That’s a simple detail, but I think there’s a lesson there too. Sometimes our job isn’t to understand every battle or figure out exactly how God is going to resolve it. Sometimes we simply need to keep walking faithfully along the path He’s placed before us.
Do the next right thing.
- Pray.
- Stay in His Word.
- Trust His character.
- Follow where He leads.
- And allow Him to handle the things that belong in His hands instead of ours.
Romans 8:31 asks a powerful question:
“If God is for us, who can be against us?”
That doesn’t mean we’ll never encounter opposition. It means opposition doesn’t have the final say. God does.
Remember Who Goes With You
I didn’t expect two fighting minks beside a river in Spain to remind me of God’s protection. But God’s creation has a way of doing that. Those little animals were fierce when something threatened what belonged to them. How much more can we trust the God who calls us His own?
Maybe you’re facing something today that feels bigger than you. Instead of focusing only on the battle in front of you, remember who goes with you into it. You don’t have to manufacture enough strength to handle everything on your own. God is your strength and your shield. Whatever happens around you, you can continue walking the path. He’s placed before you, trusting the One who walks it with you.
Faith Step: What battle have you been trying to carry on your own? Take a few minutes today to tell God exactly what you’re afraid of or struggling with. Ask Him to help you trust. His strength instead of relying only on your own.
In case you missed it, here’s a look at what I shared last week.
When Animals Point Us Back to God
Sometimes God uses the most unexpected parts of His creation to remind us of truths we already know but need to hear again.
Those moments have inspired my upcoming book, When Animals Preach, a collection of my own animal-inspired devotionals scheduled for release in late 2027. I’m looking forward to sharing more about the book as I continue writing it.
Until then, you can find several of my animal devotionals in Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures Daily Devotions 2027.
It’s a collaborative collection featuring devotionals from several writers, including me, and a great way to spend the year looking for reminders of God through the creatures He made.
Pick up your copy of All God’s Creatures Daily Devotions 2027 and see where God’s creation might point you next. https://guideposts.org/shop/product/all-gods-creatures-daily-devotions-2027/
