Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him.
-Psalm 91:1-2 (NLT)
God is our safe place and in Him we find rest, but what I’ve learned through ministering is that many don’t know the lifeline they have or even how to make Him their place of refuge.
I’ve learned that there are typically two types of people in the body of Christ: those who’ve made their safe place their church communities where they bare all and get vulnerable, and those who bottle everything up and put on the have it all together “spiritually strong” but inside they are not.
I’ve observed only a small percentage of Christians who actually go to God with full transparency and unhindered boldness, getting totally vulnerable with Him. They aren’t faking strong or putting on the plastic smile — they have found refuge in the Almighty; their soul is at rest in the most difficult challenges. On a level that almost gets mocked in church because pastors and leaders will say if one doesn’t raise their hand during a confessional message, they are liars and the ones who really need prayer.
Everyone laughs, and the message is clear — if we’re not messy and emotional, we are looked at as unwilling to “get real.”
Some will feel that pressure and push to become “more transparent,” which is not completely bad. The problem is that we are being led to believe we need to stir up an emotion with our small group to get freedom. More often than not, codependency is built within communities, and without realizing it, many have made their group their safe place — not God.
Others, live with a fear of being vulnerable and remain quiet about their struggles. Some will even have a strong barrier they’ve built as a protective layer so that people won’t see their weaknesses. They go to church, keep the pain in their hearts a secret, and then continue with the momentum of life, carrying a broken heart.
I’m not trying to knock our church communities, like I already stated, opening up with our church communities isn’t bad. There is a place and time to be honest and share our struggles with one another. What I’m addressing is a sad reality that many of my brothers and sisters don’t know how to get into the presence of God, into the shelter of the Almighty, without help from a community or the right atmosphere to usher them into this place of sacredness.
These Old Testament passages are even more powerful for us today because He is not just with us — He is within us.
We don’t have to wait for the perfect moment, the right atmosphere, or the ministry leader to lead us; we already have a high priest — His name is Jesus!
Today, we can boldly and confidently enter the throne room of grace and live in the shelter of the Almighty! Every day of our lives, no matter what we’re going through, no matter what storm we’re facing, our God is our ever-present help in our time of need. Making Him and Him alone our shelter is where we get healed and strengthened, becoming the church — the fullness of Christ.
These passages aren’t something I’ve learned to quote…I live them.
I feel them.
I feel Him.
And the most powerful result of finding my safe place in Him is that even when I’m going through an incredibly painful storm, I’m living in the shelter of the Most High, and when I walk into the church building, I’m already built up in Him. I don’t crawl through my days hoping to get through until I get another word from the pastor or have the one with the title pray for my situation to change because my soul is already at rest, and the Holy Spirit has already watered His Word in the soil of my heart, producing a harvest. From that place, I can minister from genuine faith in God and wholeness in Him.
Friend,
Imagine if we all learned to live in the shelter of the Most High.
Truthfully, we wouldn’t need a boatload of ministries to plug into because we’ve made Him, and Him alone, our refuge.
If you are holding back wounds in your heart, whether they are wounds of the past or from the storm you are currently in, go to Him. Find that safe place to let down the barriers of your heart and cry out to your Heavenly Father. He already knows; He’s waiting for you with open arms. He wants to heal and restore what the enemy used to harm you and turn your ashes into a powerful testimony of His love and power. He wants to move through you until every fiber of your being is filled with His strength, and what comes out of you is a reflection of Him and all His glory!
Nobody can understand you like He does. He knows exactly what’s going on and what your heart needs in each moment. He knows your strengths and will strengthen you in your weakest areas. He wants to speak to your storm and become your sanctuary of peace and rest.
He alone is your refuge, your safe place; you can trust Him.
Pray with me:
Father, forgive me for not making You my safe place. I didn’t realize how often I turn inward or toward others and not to You. Holy Spirit, help me grow deeper in understanding of what it looks like to live in the shelter of the Most High and become at rest and strengthened in You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
