Jesus, Our Shelter in the Storms of Life

Have you ever found yourself being falsely accused of betraying a confidence? This is a something that I have recently experienced in my own life. I can tell you honestly that there was no intention on my part to betray anything, in fact, quite the opposite was true. Nevertheless, I found myself on the receiving end of somebody’s mistrust, and it was not a pleasant place to be.

There are all kinds of thoughts that go through your head when this happens. There are also a lot of feelings that go through your heart. My first thoughts were of how I could prove that I was, indeed, telling the truth. I wanted to defend myself and hold onto the sense of honor that I feared was being stripped away from me. In my heart I was at first incredulous, then hurt, and eventually I became offended.

I began to try and “reason” the situation out in my own understanding. I thought of how long I had known the people involved, and I found myself thinking about how unfair the situation was. I thought of all the times that I had “been there” for them, and how “this” is what I end up “getting” in return. It didn’t take long for my thoughts of “reason” to begin to reel in all different directions. Soon they were just plain out of control.

This was when I felt an all compassing sense of peace come over me. It was in such sharp contrast with all of the other feelings that I had been having, that it caused me to stop and breath in deeply. I knew it was the Lord. He was quieting me with His love and His peace. All of a sudden I knew that I didn’t have to defend myself. I knew that He knew the truth of all that had taken place. I felt it as He reassured me of this, and I knew that it would be Him Who would stand beside me.

Psalm 57, verses 1 and 2 say, “v.1 Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, be merciful and gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You: yes, in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed. v.2 I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me (Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them)!”

I cannot tell you how much comfort I received from these verses. I was reminded that it was not in my own understanding on which I could lean, but only on the Lord’s. Psalm 119 verse 130 says, “The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light, their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.” It would be the Lord’s words that would cause my heart and mind to understand, not my own… and not anybody else’s.

I love the fact that the Lord comes to “save” me, and all of us, in these circumstances. He “saves” us from the pain that others inflict on us, and He also “saves” us from ourselves. He keeps us from retaliating towards others and He teaches us to release our pain and anger to Him. It is much easier for us to stay silent when it is He that is quieting our thoughts, comforting our hearts and keeping our spirits in a place of peace.

Although I understand that this situation is not over, I do know that the Lord will be with me through all that there is to come. This alone is what I place my hope in.

Thank you, Lord, for the peace that you give us

which surpasses all of our own understanding.

Thank you that you rescue us, before we do “further” damage

to a situation in which we’ve been hurt. Thank you for teaching us that we can trust in you for all things, in all situations.

Thank you for your infinite wisdom and your endless grace.

 In every way I ask that you would help us to be more like you,

and that ultimately, you would be honored in every area of our lives.

Amen.

Written by Beverley A. Napier

July 13, 2011