How To Make God Your Refuge
You feel bombarded on every side and then you read in Psalms that God is our refuge and strength. You are living in the moment, in the present, and you are experiencing a whole lot of trouble!
How do you NOT fear when you feel like the whole earth is shaking beneath your feet?!
Psalm 46:1-7 is filled with drama that brings alive the struggle we so often have when we are feeling weary from what life keeps dumping into our laps. That is why I have been writing and sharing my heart in the Weariness to Strength Grace Study during the last couple months.
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Psalm 46:1-7
Everywhere that Jesus went the crowds gathered around Him to hear what he was teaching and to be healed. They were like lost sheep needing the compassion of Jesus.
We too are like sheep that are sooo lost.
Indecisive.
Without leadership.
We need direction and guidance through what life brings.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:36–37).
The harvest is made up of hurting sheep that Jesus compassionately wants to bring into His fold for refuge.
An Age of Hurting People
You are living in an age of hurting people who are lost just like those sheep. You are one of the hurting sheep too because all of us are in need of refuge from our troubles and stress.
If you know Jesus, you know to go to seek Him with all your heart by reading the Bible and in prayer.
Daily, I come in contact with people who have been hurt by divorce, incest, trafficking, abusive relationships, those dealing with serious illness, financial stress, and so many other troubles.
Because you are going through something difficult, you are in a position for God to use you to meet someone else’s needs.
Your Need for Stillness and Reflection
Have you noticed more and more that people are turning to meditation and referring to mindfulness?
If those who do not know Christ are seeing the need for stillness and reflection, why is it that we keep our fast rushing pace?
Why don’t we slow down to really be still in His presence?
You have to be filled up with Jesus in order to go out and be effective for Christ each day.
The problem isn’t in meditation and mindfulness, the problem lies on what is being meditated on and what you are being mindful of.
If you meditate using FREE Scripture Memory Cards and reflect on your Savior Jesus Christ, you will be headed in the right direction.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
How To Make God Your Refuge
If you get up each day and rush impulsively into your routine without stopping to spend time with Jesus, you will be showing up without being equipped!
Life hits so much harder when we are not prepared.
Wouldn’t it be so much better to be filled up and ready for your day?
It would be like driving your car to your job without checking the gas gage to see if there is enough fuel to arrive at your destination.
I know that many of my readers are really hurting.
I have been through some extremely deep valleys with some of our children. So, it may not be the same issues that you are facing but I know how life can bring weariness and the need for the Lord’s strength.
If you have been reading my blog for the last seven years, you will know that I am repeating myself.
These tips are so important and apply to so many things that we face in life.
- Read your Bible daily – Start your day by reading your Bible, or read it during your littles’ naptime, or in the evening. Just fit it into your schedule on a daily basis. To be realistic, as a woman, I find it hard to read on Sunday.
- Pray Continually and Fervently – This is the area that I have always struggled with the most. It is the most important thing to do in your day. Satan would love to see our lives crippled by a lack of prayer! Pray as you fold laundry, and when you drive.
- Sing and Praise the Lord – Do you sing? I don’t go around the house singing (but I should!) but I love to sing in the car. Singing is a way of praising the Lord and should be part of your day. You might not know hymns that well because they are not sung often in most churches these days. They are filled with depth and theology that the usual songs in churches do not have these days. I would urge you to find a hymnbook and learn some of the wonderful hymns.
- Write Comforting Bible Verses on 3 X 5 Index Cards – Put them where you will see them. Sit quietly and meditate (think) and even try to memorize them. Just say them five times, several times each day for a week and you will be surprised that you have them memorized.
Running to Jesus isn’t a formula that you do but ways to build your relationship with your Lord.
Reading your Bible, praying, singing, and memorizing Scripture will NOT get you to heaven but is intended for encouragement in your walk with Jesus.
It is as you are spending time with Jesus in Bible reading, prayer, singing, and memorizing that I hope and pray that you will find a rewarding and satisfying relationship that will turn your weariness to strength in God.
Are you struggling and need to find refuge in Jesus? Would you like me and others to pray for you?
If you are interested in being part of a community of women as an extension of this blog, you can join Graced Imperfection on Facebook or Jesus Journaling for those interested in sharing their Bible journaling artwork.
