Rest in the Shadow

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” Psalms 91:1-4

Have you ever rested in the shadow of the Almighty? Do you trust Him enough to rest? Is He your refuge? Is He your place of safety?

You may tell your friends that you are a Christian. You may tell yourself that you’re a Christian because you go to Church every Sunday and you go to Bible study and you own a Bible. But when times get tough and your faith is tested, do you still hold that same belief?

I confess that my faith has waivered at times during this crisis. But, for the most part, I have found sweet peace and rest in God alone. He has been my refuge.

I do not think you place your trust in the Lord and that’s it–you’re set for life. My experience has been a daily, and sometimes hourly, placing my trust in Him again and again. I can say that over 30 years of doing this, it does get easier just to rest in the Lord. I’ve learned to trust Him more readily even when times get tough.

For the Lord to be your refuge and your rest, you have to trust Him enough to let go of whatever fear or anxiety you are holding onto. It took me some time to realize that fear and anxiety and even anger and sadness can become your refuge in times of trouble–like a long time friend you are so familiar with that it feels comfortable. But if we want true rest, we have to part ways with those “old friends” and set our affections on the One who holds the world together.

Spend some time asking the Lord to expose in you where you are not trusting Him. Make sure you give Him time to answer. See where He takes you in your mind.

Now spend some time confessing where you have trusted in other things besides the Lord. Maybe you have never really found rest in the Lord. Ask Him to show you how to rest in the shadow of His wings. Try reading the rest of Psalm 91 on your own.