Living In the Shelter of the Almighty

There have been times in my life when all I needed was a place to seek shelter. Refuge from life and the storms that were on the brink or in my midst. In those times, I wished I had known what it meant to seek the shelter from Almighty God.

It was something that I had to learn as life’s storms became overwhelming.

I grew up in the midwest. I know what a storm looks and feels like. Before the storm, all seems calm. There is no movement or breeze in the air. You can feel the tension building up in the atmosphere. All of nature becomes quiet. The birds stop chirping and the trees stand firm and still in their place.

Then, all of a sudden, it all comes crashing down. The wind and the rain break loose. The tension that has been building up finally let’s go. All you can do is sit with anticipation waiting out the results of it all.

Waiting to see what you have to pick up and put back together in the aftermath of the storm.

Fighting the Storms Alone

Some of the storms in my life have been self-inflicted. Meaning they are the direct result of bad decisions. In those times, I didn’t seek refuge from God for fear, guilt, and shame seemed too great to face Him.

Those were the times I tried to ride out the storm by myself and always failed miserably. Having no one to help pick up the pieces or put them back together made those times the hardest.

I was always left broken and more damaged than the last time. Feeling helpless and hopeless that I not only couldn’t fix things but had messed them up even more.

It became a revolving door of self-loathing and desperation to find the next best thing to make it go away or feel better.

It wasn’t until I surrendered, not just admitted I was a sinner and asked Christ to come into my life, but really surrendered my life to Christ, that I found refuge in Him.

Finding Refuge in the Lord

What finally broke the tension and the distance that I had created between myself and God was the loss of our twin babies. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back you could say.

I realized all the fighting and the running that I had been doing were driving me into the pit that I didn’t want to be in.

I believe that God has a way to get the attention of His children. For each of us, it is different. That is what makes our stories on the path to redemption so unique and beautiful.

I am grateful to God for knowing what I needed and for knowing how to get me there. I was a mess without Him. Quite honestly, I am a mess with Him, just a mess that has hope.

Life is never easy and is full of situations that cause us fear and anxiety. Life is full of times that cause us heartbreak. The awesome thing is we don’t have to stay there. We can find refuge in the wings of the Almighty.

Had I Known

Had I known I didn't have to fight through life alone, earlier in my life, my days would have been ruled by #peace and #hope. #Seekrefuge #underthewingsoftheAlmighty Share on X

If I would have sought refuge in Christ, instead of trying to run from Him, I could have been spared from the regret of grieving my Father.

Seeking refuge with God in times of danger, even if they are the result of our own decisions, mistakes, or recklessness, offers us something that nothing else can.

I love the verses from Psalm 91. The author of this psalm is not known, which makes it all the more wonderful because we can fit into this psalm so seamlessly.

What is known, however, is that the author felt fear from the storm that pursued them. We can all so easily relate to that.

What I want to encourage us with today is overcoming that fear with the truth that sets us free from those fears when we meditate on God’s Word.

Psalm 91

Psalm 91 has such beautiful assurances. Assurances we can hold onto while we are braving life’s storms. Here are seven verses that I would love for you to meditate on with me.

Psalm 91:1-2 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91:9 – 11 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most-High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 91:14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Under the Wings of the Almighty

I love the imagery of the wings. Being tucked in close to God as we ride out the storm together. As a parent tucking in their child close protecting them from devastation. God never promised us a life free from the storms but He offers us protection through them.

I had a friend email me that she had been praying for God to take her out of the situation that she was in. It seemed to be piling up bigger than she could take. I reminded her that the beautiful part is not just in the rescue but seeing God’s provision through it all.

Reliance on God is these times allows His strength to shine through our weakness.  God doesn’t always just want to instantly rescue us and free us from the storm. He wants us to learn how to hold onto Him and stay under His wings during the storm.

When we have called on His name and put our trust in Him, these verses tell us, He will rescue us. He will send His angels to guard us. How amazing is that!

I will rescue Him, says the Lord. These are sweet words to my ears. I don't know about you, but I want to know that I always have a #rescue, a #refuge, and a #shelter from life's storms. #underthewingsoftheAlmighty Share on X

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