Kathi Pelton
Is the Lord your refuge?
Is he the one that you trust in?
Is he the one you turn to in times of suffering?
Is he the one that your hope is in?
It’s easy to say, “I trust you, Lord” when everything around you is going well. But that moment when the perverbial rug is unexpectedly pulled out from under your feet— it is then that your declaration of trust is weighed and tested. But it is also then that you have the opportunity to truly live it and experience it (not just say it).
During troubled times you will find yourself suddenly thrust out upon the waves of life’s stormy sea and for a moment you will wonder if you actually trusted in the security of that rug that was pulled away or in the Lord who calls us out to walk upon the water and even upon the waves.
What is important to remember in those moments is that it is the Lord alone that is able to calm the seas that you have been cast out upon. And, it is only in him that you can stand upon something that has no natural solidity. Apart from God that sea would swallow you into the icy deep waters.
God has a promise for you as you find yourself trying to find your footing upon the declaration of your faith,
“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.” Psalms 5:11-12
His never-ending, never ceasing, never failing shield of love is surrounding you in that very place and that very moment. It is “Christ your firm foundation” that will become the solid place to stand.
One of the most difficult things for our souls to encounter is when we are suddenly faced with situations or circumstances that cause what we felt was sure and secure to be pulled away. Whether it is because of a death, a loss of natural provision, a tragedy or a sudden change that was unexpected; what was secure and felt like solid ground is now gone. We are cast upon the very faith and trust that we have declared, yet with no natural security to feel beneath our feet.
This is when our souls must learn to yield to his Spirit within us. We are invited to sing for joy out of a place of faith and trust. We are also invited into the most secure place we will ever experience- the protection and promise of his love that surrounds us like a shield.
The refuge of the Almighty is unmovable, unshakable and eternal. It is not circumstantial and it is impossible for it to fail us.
He will not fail us! But it is rarely learned or secured in the seasons that surround our lives with natural securities or abundant resources. Our souls seem to demand that it is tested and proved before being fully believed.
For lack of a better explanation— we become the “test dummies” in our own belief systems. These times of uncertainty or times of testing become the crash test of our trust. But believe me— Christ our refuge passes the crash test every time.
There is a different type of joy that is sung during these hard seasons because it is the unadulterated song of joy from a heart that has chosen to trust in Christ amid absolute natural uncertainties. It is a faith in the unseen that says, “You are my refuge and strength, the God in whom I trust.” Even when all else has failed.
And it is then that you become aware that his shield of love has surrounded you. And it is then that the thief is cast out and abundant life begins (John 10:10). Lastly, it is there that Psalm 91 becomes your reality because you are experiencing the shelter of his wing and the refuge of his love. It’s no longer about natural securities— it’s about his love becoming the source of life, the source of joy and the hope that does not disappoint.
If you are in that place of hardship— you are invited into experiencing a love that will not fail you. And you are invited into the refuge of Christ— where the thief cannot enter.
“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.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 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; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”” Psalms 91:1-16 NIV
His love is surrounding you!
Oceans in the Desert 
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