Father’s Love: 30 Days of Discovering God as FatherSample

Day 23 – A Refuge

God is your refuge. When life feels overwhelming, God is your safe place. His presence is your shelter. Your Father is your hiding place; with Him, you are secure. How beautiful are the words in Psalm 46:1 (NIV) that says, “God is our refuge and strength; an ever-present help in trouble.” Merriam Webster defines refuge as a shelter or place of protection from the danger or distress.

Have you ever taken a walk on a beautiful sunny day only to be met with extremely dark clouds, high winds and heavy rain? What’s the first thing you do? You bolt for shelter until the storm passes. That is how your heavenly Father wants you to run to him when the storms of life surprises you with darkness, confusion, uncertainty, and heavy burdens. Storms are part of life but when God is your refuge, you will overcome every storm. Like Peter, you can walk on water in the face of high winds. (Matthew 14:28-31)

Because storms are part of life, it truly matters who your refuge is. Like the story of the three little pigs, the big bad wolf (Satan) will try, but if your house (refuge) is the rock, he can never blow it down. Psalms 18:2 (NIV) says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

When worry rises in your life, practice saying aloud: “God is my refuge—I am safe in Him.”

Read, internalize, and pray each scripture to deepen your faith.