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only God could serve as my refuge, my safe place and
my salvation
Sarah Geringer
“It is better
to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people.” Psalm 118:8
(NLT)
I
carefully lifted my windshield wiper to retrieve the frozen pink rose that cold
Valentine’s Day years ago.
My
heart pounded in anticipation.
Starting
up the engine for warmth, I rubbed my palms together before opening the
attached card.
The
rose was from … my mom. Her words in the card were kind and encouraging. So why
did I still feel empty inside?
The
truth was, I wished the rose was from a secret admirer. A young man, not my
mom.
Since
my last date had been an embarrassing dud, spaced far after the previous one, I
longed for a new romance to fill me up. My guilt and loneliness combined into a
frustrating mixture.
I
felt like a cup with no bottom.
No
matter what I put inside the cup, I didn’t feel full. Roses, chocolate, books,
TV shows, fantasies and even relationships couldn’t fill it.
Loneliness
seemed to be the only thing filling that bottomless space, and I was weary of
its constant, haunting presence.
My
parents divorced when I was 4 years old, and the day my daddy left was the day
loneliness took up permanent residence in my heart and mind.
Though
I wished it would go away, I had no power to push it out the door. Loneliness
lingered every time I craved love and attention that was in such short supply.
Then
in high school, I developed resentment over the flowers and gifts I saw lined
up in the cafeteria every February 14.
None
of them were for me. I believed the devil’s whispered lie — None of them will ever
be for you. You’ll always be lonely.
About
15 years after that frozen-rose morning, I sat in a counselor’s office.
After listening to my stories of constant loneliness,
he observed, “Relationships are very important to you, aren’t they?”
His
simple, judgment-free question was a pivotal point in my spiritual journey.
A
few days after the counseling session, God nudged me with a new idea: Perhaps
relationships were too important to me.
Though
I was a wife, mother of three and friend to many, I still felt lonely.
But God was showing me a truth I needed to learn from
His Word: “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people”
(Psalm 118:8).
For
far too long, I had looked to people to fill me. But my husband, children, best
friend and small group companions couldn’t remove my loneliness.
They
were never designed to completely fill my needs. I began to realize only God
could serve as my refuge, my safe place and my salvation.
Though
people are wonderful, they are not infinite. They aren’t always available when
we need them, and none of them provide perfect understanding.
However,
God is infinite (Revelation 1:8), ever present (Deuteronomy
31:6) and all-knowing (1 Chronicles 28:9).
As
we study His ways, we learn God is ready, able and willing to fill us up with
His love. We learn this best by hiding away with Him in a place of refuge.
The
more time I spent in God’s presence, the less I depended on relationships to
meet all my needs.
Time
with loved ones became bonuses on top of the loving intimacy I enjoyed with
Jesus.
I
no longer required proof of human love on Valentine’s Day — or any other day.
God
is our refuge in lonely times, and that’s more than enough proof He loves us.
Lord, thank You for never abandoning me in my lonely
times.
I confess I have tried too hard to fill up my lonely
spaces with relationships or things that can never fill me up.
Remind me when I hide away in my safe place with You,
I will experience Your perfect peace.
Meet me in my loneliness with Your loving presence. In
Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH
FOR TODAY
Psalm 59:17, “O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.” (NLT)
Psalm 142:5, “Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say,
‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.’” (NLT)
RELATED
RESOURCES
Do
you need help to overcome the lies Satan is whispering to you? Grab a copy of
Sarah Geringer’s book, Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in
Focus.
CONNECT
Sarah
writes about loneliness, healing and finding peace in God’s Word at
sarahgeringer.com.
REFLECT
AND RESPOND
Which
days cause loneliness to haunt you most? How can you turn to God as your refuge
in those lonely times? Share your ideas in our comments section.
Sarah Geringer is a speaker, artist and author of Transforming
Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in Focus, published by Leafwood
Publishers. When she’s not reading over 100 books per year, Sarah enjoys
painting, baking, gardening and playing the flute. She lives in her beloved
home state of Missouri with her husband and three children. Her must-haves are
hot tea, dark chocolate, and fresh flowers. Sarah writes about finding peace in
God’s Word.
Proverbs 31 Ministries is a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry
that seeks to lead women into a personal relationship with Christ. With
Proverbs 31:10-31 as a guide, Proverbs 31 Ministries reaches women in the
middle of their busy days through free devotions, podcasts, speaking events,
conferences, resources, online Bible studies, and training in the call to
write, speak and lead others. We are real women offering real-life solutions to
those striving to maintain life’s balance, in spite of today’s hectic pace and
cultural pull away from godly principles. Wherever a woman may be on her
spiritual journey, Proverbs 31 Ministries exists to be a trusted friend who
understands the challenges she faces, walks by her side, encouraging her as she
walks toward the heart of God.
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