“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

One Saturday afternoon, I drove to a Sam’s pickup area, which was a little out of my way. I thought I knew the area, but after leaving the parking lot, I turned left instead of right toward the main highway. I felt sure I was headed in the right direction and kept going, thinking the road would lead me back to the highway.

Soon, I realized I was in an unfamiliar industrial area. The place felt deserted and a bit scary, with thick woods and an old abandoned motel nearby. I was so focused on my surroundings that I didn’t notice I was on the wrong side of the road, heading toward a sharp curve. I quickly moved back to the right side, thankful to God that nothing was coming. I slowed down, prayed, and took a moment to gather my thoughts, trusting I wasn’t far from the entrance. As I kept going, the road led me in a circle and brought me back to the light.

Sometimes life circumstances can put us in similar situations, physically or spiritually. Unexpected challenges like illness, job loss, divorce, grief, or struggles with mental health leave us feeling lost in an unfamiliar place.

But if we slow down, pray sincerely, and take time to gather ourselves, the Holy Spirit will guide us in the right direction, giving us His sweet peace of assurance that all is well. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10.

No matter what we’re facing right now, we can trust that God will take care of us. Consider God’s servant Job and all that he encountered: he wrote, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” God never promised us that life would be easy. We all go through tough times, but we can cling to this comforting knowledge: our Great and Almighty God is closer than the very air that we breathe – He is our strength and strong tower! “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalm 18:1.

Psalm 91:2 says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”  When we are hurting, distressed, or even in the presence of evil, our safety is in the secret place of our Almighty God. Martin Luther wrote, A Mighty Fortress is our God! He protects and guides us through this journey of life, and we can trust Him to cover us under His wings of safety!

So today, rest in His love and know you are exactly where He wants you to be. Whatever this place is in your lives, it is not unknown to the One who holds the future in His all-powerful hands.

May God’s blessings of love and mercy be with us all.