“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8 ESV
Many times, Satan distorts our view of God. Instead of focusing upon God, our concentration is diverted to our situation and circumstance. As we spend the majority of our time gazing upon what is not God, our thinking becomes transformed. This transformation is not one that grows us closer to God, but rather distances us away.
We become easily distracted and quickly rely on ourselves and other people's help, rather than the One Who created all.
We are finite beings who struggle to do what we know must be done. We become easily distracted and quickly rely on ourselves and other people's help, rather than the One Who created all. When we become hurried and busy throughout this life, we reveal to God that He is not in control. He absolutely is in control of all things, but in our thoughts we say indirectly that He is not seen as first. We seek external resources, rather than looking at the Internal Source that charges our soul. It is the Holy Spirit Who is our Comforter and Friend. We must begin to realize that God is always in full control and that He is willing to listen to our cries.
At times God may distance Himself from us, in order to grow our faith and our desire for Him.
God’s Omniscience so far exceeds beyond our thinking that we at times may feel He has abandoned us. With His Omniscience, He is able to see at all times what could, would, and will happen. At times He may distance Himself from us, in order to grow our faith and our desire for Him. Maybe He allows us for a time to live in our carnal ways, in order to reveal to us that worldliness does not fulfill.
It is God alone Who can operate in perfect flow, for He knows where everything is to go. He is the Sovereign God Who has preordained all things. He has placed freewill creatures at specific points in both time and space to fulfill His ultimate will. He knows what we are feeling and how best to relieve us of our pressures. We must not succumb to Satan’s illusory infiltrations that “God does not care” or “God does not love us.” God loves all and He calls all to Him. It is in our most difficult seasons that we must look to the Heavens and pour out our hearts to the One Who hears us!
When we choose to admit that God alone is our refuge and we cannot stand and get through what we are facing, that is when God is well pleased and shows up.
“For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death”” (Proverbs 8:35-36 ESV). Whoever finds wisdom obtains favor from God, for wisdom comes from God Himself. Wisdom does not always present itself in stature, sometimes it is found when we choose to humble ourselves before God’s Throne. When we choose to admit that God alone is our refuge and we cannot stand and get through what we are facing, that is when God is well pleased and shows up. It is not until we admit that we are nothing without Christ, that He comes and cleanses the innermost chambers of our soul. He begins to form paths in our lives and provide ways that only He can.
It is the heartfelt prayer of the born again believer that moves God to performing His will in our life.
From our standpoint, it look like all things are going to end in ruin. Wisdom, however, shouts at the soul to wake up! It guides the soul’s eyes to look upon God and believe that He does and will hear our prayers. It is the heartfelt prayer of the born again believer that moves God to performing His will in our life. So long as we attempt to rule and reign in our own life, God will be distant. God is not going to compete with our selfish inclinations and precepts, for why would He? He is God and we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). He has no need in competing with self. Therefore, in exchange for what we are not giving Him, He will allow us to flounder and fall until wisdom once again sets in and reveals to us that it is God alone Who can deliver.
The more we know God’s Word and are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, the more we will be engaged and in-tune with our Creator.
Let us therefore see God as our refuge. Let us not merely utter words. Let us believe them. God truly is beyond what we can fathom. We must take time to meditate on God’s attributes, through the Scriptures, if we are to ever take our faith seriously. The more we know God’s Word and are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, the more we will be engaged and in-tune with our Creator. We will not possess a disposition to think what our finite thinking wants to think. Rather, our minds will be adjusted towards God and seeing Him as both our refuge and deliver.
The more we drain out self and sin, the greater faith and trust we will have in Him. Let us die to ourselves, in order that Christ may live fully within.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You care for us and love us. We thank You for Your shelter. You, O Lord, are our protection. We sit in the shadow of Your wings and watch what You will do. Keep the enemy from us, O God. Distance us from our sins. Save us from ourselves, that we may grow in full trust and belief that You will move mountains. You alone, O God, can get us out of our difficulties. Bless us with the pattern of going to You first in all things. May we not succumb to the lies of the enemy or the visibility of our adversity. We submit to You, O Lord. We pour out our hearts to You. Bless us with Your Divine Providence, as we wait upon Your guidance and counsel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine