God: Our Refuge

I’m sure there is not a single person on this earth who has not heard one form or another of the phrase “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” How true is that phrase? We face so many problems in this world it can be downright overwhelming at times. Once one problem is solved, it isn’t long before another one crops up. Some of our lives are just like that, living problem to problem; a never ending drama. It can even be likened to a rollercoaster. When life is one problem after another, how in the world can you have hope enough to carry on? David sure had his share of problems and one right after the other too! There were so many people after him. His enemies were constantly plotting against him and it seems as if he was constantly on the run. One consistent theme that has run through the vast majority of the Psalms is David’s unwavering faith and confidence in God. Even when the odds were stacked up against him, he still praised God for his faithfulness and his unfailing love. David placed all of his hope in God and kept his focus on him in the midst of difficult circumstances. He knew that God was faithful and true. He knew that God would keep his promises and he knew that God would rescue him. David’s hope in the Lord allowed him to endure some pretty difficult circumstances. It gave him victory over his enemies and it allowed for him to keep his focus off of the problems he faced and instead on the problem solver. In this life we are going to face many problems and sometimes they will come one right after the other. They may even happen at the same time. There is really no way of knowing when problems will come our way, but we can have confidence in God, believing that he is with us each and every step of the way, each and every day. If we place all our hope in him, we will be able to stand up against the problems that come our way because God will bring us victory. The last three years of my life have been pretty difficult and I have learned quite a bit about trusting God and relying on him to get me through some pretty difficult circumstances. I have learned that his love for me is not defined by anything that I have done. He loves me simply because he created me. I am his beloved and he is mine. “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (Ps 62:5-8)