Dear Nancy,

We could also ask the same question about adults:

• Where are their guardian angels when they too are victimized?

There is no solid answers to this formulated in black and white, but I will give it a shot.

My response would be that a guardian angel's primary job is not to protect one against physical harm, but against spiritual harm. Salvation of the human person is a guardian angel's, as well as God's, primary concern. Therefore, sometimes the suffering that comes from being victimized by an injustice or by an accident, may be exactly what a person needs at the time, even an innocent child, as preventative "medicine" in our journey to become saints.

For example, a shot in the doctor's office or dental work for a child seems horrible at the time but may be very good for them in the bigger picture. Even dying at an early age may, in fact, be merciful for God and one's angel, if God sees, in His omniscience, that this person will grow up one day to reject God and end up in Hell for all eternity if God didn't take them at a certain point in their life.

So whatever earthly suffering we go through, even death, could very well be best for us and others around us, in the big picture, that only God sees and knows. And since God is Love He can take what seems terrible to us and make it into a positive for those who remain faithful to Him.

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God."

(Romans 8:28).

I hope this helps in assisting you to ponder on the truth that our understanding of things can be very limited compared to God's understanding and the angel — that He has assigned to us, to assist us in our journey through this fallen world into unending happiness with Him in heaven.

Peace,

Paul

Hi Nancy,

While I agree most of Paul's answer, I would disagree with him that our guardian angels don't watch over our physical well being. All you have to do is listen to the nightly news where, as an example, twelve people were in a plane that crashed and miraculous all survived with just cuts and bruises.

Although they watch over both our spiritual and physical well being, they, like God Himself, cannot force someone to do something against their own free will.

Human free will, which the Lord has endowed all humans with at our creation, can be the greatest blessing and yet the greatest nightmare; a nightmare the rapist or killer will have to account for at their particular judgment.

If it is one thing I've tried to pass on to my niece and nephews is the powerful effect of just doing kind things to, and for other people can have on that person's life. As I get more experienced, year by year, I appreciate this more and more.

Mike

Nancy —

Since I stated I thought it was an angel's primary job to watch over our spiritual well being, Mike and I are in agreement that angels watch over our physical temporal well being also.

Paul