God Is Our Refuge

Psalm 46 begins with a declaration that God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble and therefore we should not fear. We all go through struggles in our journey here on earth. We find ourselves not knowing what to do or how to proceed through our circumstance. Many of the circumstances that we wade through are normal and customary for our life. Death is an example. We all experience death but walking through our particular circumstances can be difficult. Sometimes we stumble and struggle with the loss and wonder where God is and how He could allow this much pain into our lives. The Psalmist understood that God was a safe place to run to, to find protection, help and comfort in moments of struggle. He points out that with God we will not be moved and that He steps into help just in time v4. Even though the world feels turbulent at times, God is still in control. “He uttered His voice, the earth melted.” v6 God speaks and all of His creation listens.

We need to be reminded that God is with us wherever we are. In v7, 11 the Psalmist states that God is with us and that He is refuge. God is a place to hide, a place to regain our focus, a place to find strength. The key to finding strength and comfort in God is to be with Him. v10 “Be still and know that I am God.” The verse begins with “Be still.” Just sit in the presence of God. Focus on Him. I have a challenge for you. Sit in God’s presence without speaking. This sounds simple enough, however it will be a fight unless you have trained yourself to do this. Make a note of how quickly your mind wonders. You will begin to think of what happened last night and what you wished you had said. You will begin to think about the day ahead and all of your to-dos. You will feel a sense of, ‘I don’t have time for this, I have to many things to do.’ Resist the urge to cut the time short. Focus on God. Be Still. Once your five minutes are up, then you can begin to talk with God. Share your heart with Him. Notice how the time feels more intimate because you have just sat in the presence of the Almighty focused on Him. Enjoy just being.