“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” - Psalm 46:1 How are y’all doing out there? How are you feeling – emotionally, physically, mentally, etc? Has the year 2021 gone as planned so far? Where’s your mind at? Do you have peace? At this point, with just a few months left until 2022, there seems to be A LOT going on in the world. There’s an ongoing war in Afghanistan. Haitians are facing major crisis. The Delta variant of COVID-19 is raging and leaving the healthcare system taxed and overburdened. Turn on the news and you’ll probably hear about some other crazy thing happening. It’s easy in this climate to be overwhelmed and hopeless. Amidst all of this, each of us is facing personal issues on a daily basis. Personally, I’m just a month post partum and I’m dealing with all the changes to my body, my mind, and my household. Balancing a toddler and a newborn is a challenge. If we can get through one day without any major meltdowns or poop explosions, it’s been a good day. I’m not sure what you’re going through but I do know that life leaves all of us in crisis at one time or another. When you’re in crisis, who do you turn to? Is it friends? Family? Coworkers? Your pastor? A counselor? How has that worked out so far? I’ve found that although support from my community can be helpful, there is only one place where I can turn to in crisis and find true relief. There is truly only ONE refuge and that is God. “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.” - Psalm 91:1-2 Let’s define the word REFUGE - a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble // something providing shelter. So in other words, when the Bible calls God a refuge, what’s being communicated is that regardless of life’s circumstances or what some would call “the storm of life,” God is a safe place for us to run to. The Bible says that we can call on God’s name at any time and know that He will hear us and save us from distress. This means that at any given moment of crisis, we have access to an amazing power. It’s as simple as whispering a short but genuine prayer to Heaven in faith. God sees all that is happening in the world and in our personal lives and He wants to reveal himself in the midst of these situations as a refuge. Throughout my life, God has shown up as my refuge in many ways.
About two months ago, my family and I all had a cold, and my daughter had a fever. I was immediately struck with panic. I’m sure we can all relate to the stream of thoughts and worry that comes as you wonder if you or someone close to you has COVID. As I drove to an ER to get her checked out and tested, anxiety and negative thoughts started to cloud my mind. Then I was reminded by God’s still, small voice – “Beryl, I’m with you. I’m protecting you and I will work everything out.” In that moment, I responded back to God and prayed for Him to cover me with peace and allow my daughter to be okay. She ended up testing negative for COVID, but even before the results, I already had peace because I was resting in my refuge. More recently, God has shown himself to be my refuge in equipping me as a new mom of two kids, aged two and under. I have so many moments when I’m completely overwhelmed, especially when both kids need me at once or when my toddler is getting into something she shouldn’t and I have my hands full with my newborn. In those moments, God provides wisdom for me to navigate the situation and peace so I don’t allow myself to be so stressed about it. He has very much been a refuge for me in this season and I know He will continue this regardless of what is going on in my life. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” - Psalm 91:4 Whatever is going on in your life or in the world, take shelter in God today. He will never fail you. He will truly be a refuge. <3 Beryl
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Author - BerylBeryl has a passion for writing pieces that uplift, inspire, and encourage you to bloom. She's been blogging since October 2018. Archives
March 2023
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