Constant Reminder

"For you are God, my only safe haven.

Why have you tossed me aside?

Why must I wander around in grief,

oppressed by my enemies?

Send out your light and your truth;

let them guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you live."

Psalm 43:2-3 NLT

Her heart ached with grief over the broken pieces of her life.  Everything that she had worked for during the past decade was lying in shambles at her feet.  She felt battered and bruised from the fight, anything but loved and cherished by a doting Father.

Still, no matter how my friend feels, she is highly regarded by her God.  She is showered with blessings in the heavenly realms, even in the midst of the storm.  She is protected and prized despite the fact that she feels vulnerable and neglected.

It's easy to fall into despair, especially when circumstances are out of my control and life is not going according to my plan.  Therefore, I must constantly remind myself of the truth, just like the psalmist did.

God.  Drugs.  Work.  Ministry.  Service.  Exercise.  Hobbies.  Alcohol.  Social media.  There are countless places I can hide during the storm, when life is spinning out of control and I need to feel safe and secure.  Where do I choose to go to find a sense of purpose and meaning when I feel low?

Instead of picking the myriad of hopeless alternatives, no matter how good they seem on the outside, I can let God be my safe haven.  Only He can give me peace in the midst of the struggle.  Only He can bring value and significance when I feel low.  Only He can rescue me from the dull, emptiness of day after day of drudgery.

While there are many good things I can do to make myself feel better about my life, my only hope for knowing my true value is through faith in Jesus Christ.  In Him I have purpose, meaning and a mission (Ephesians 2:10).   Even though there are lots of ways I can drown my sorrows, only Christ can deliver comfort, release, freedom, beauty, joy and praise (Isaiah 61:1-3).  Although I can find many places to hide in times of trouble, only trusting in God can deliver peace that doesn't make sense considering my circumstances (Philippians 4:6-7).

When times are difficult, I must constantly remind myself that God is where I find meaning, purpose and a sense of calm.

Refuge.  The wind howled through the trees, sending branches falling and turning pine cones into missiles.  Even though our retreat was in a safe harbor, it wasn't immune to the strong gales.  The water swirled and whipped up, rocking the boats secured in their slips, eventually loosing a ship free from it's moorings. The bay did not completely protect us from the raging storm.

Life throws many difficulties my way and despite my best efforts at protecting myself, I am not immune from hard times.  Therefore, it is vital that I let God be my refuge in times of trouble.  While there are other options I can choose, nothing is as secure and delivers me from fear as God can (Psalm 46:1-3).

When times are difficult, I must constantly go to God as my safe place where I will find true security.

Light.  If I want advice, there is plenty out there to be had.  I can ask anyone and they'll give me their take on things, offering recommendations, suggestions and guidance; enough to make my head swirl.  Which counsel should I take?  What should I do?

If I want to know the perfect solution to my specific problem I must ask God who generously gives His wisdom to those who believe He is the only source of understanding (James 1:5-8). If, however, I think He is only one option and it's up to me to pick the best idea, I'll never be sure of what I should do.

I can be confident that God will guide me through the hard times I'm facing.  He is faithful and true, able to show me the way He has marked out for me (Hebrews 12:1-2).  My role is to follow Him as my Shepherd, letting Him choose the path and set the pace.  Consequently, I must expect that He'll lead me in directions that seem odd or even foolish, and He'll often either go faster or slower than is to my liking. 

When times are difficult, I must constantly remember that God is the source of truth and insight that I need in the midst of the confusion.

In the span of a lifetime, I'll endure many hard times, of this I can be sure.  While such difficulty may cause me to despair, making me feel like I'm more of a reject instead of the cherished child that I am.  Instead of falling prey to such feelings, I can make it a practice to remind myself that God is the One I can always trust to give me meaning, that His refuge is truly safe, and that He is the source of understanding in a world that is often topsy-turvy.  In such storms, I must learn to preach these constant reminders to myself as protection against despair.  Then I will not fall victim to my misleading feelings that often lead me astray but will know in my heart I am cherished as a well-loved child by a doting Father.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God in the midst of the trouble.

When do I believe the fear that grips my heart?

How can I give myself a little reminder of the truth that will set me free?