He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!” Psalm 91:1-2 NASB

What a beautiful picture these Scripture verses draw! God as my shelter. God as my fortress. God can be trusted. I feel instant peace when I close my eyes and say these verses. 

I have been writing quite a bit lately about my battle with anxiety and panic attacks. In the midst of those attacks, I am exhausted. And Satan tells me that I am damaged and that I am no good to God or anyone else. Sisters, are there any of you who can relate? 

As I have stepped back from full-time work to focus on getting well, I am reading God’s Word quite a bit, and The Lord has parked me on these key verses from Psalm 91. Let’s look at a few of the words David utilizes in this Scripture.

Shelter

Dictionary.com defines shelter as “something beneath, behind, or within which a person, animal, or thing is protected from storms, missiles, adverse conditions, etc.; refuge.” 

Are any of you experiencing storms or adverse conditions in your life right now? Is this a season where your world is being rocked by sickness, unemployment, wayward children, marital problems? My panic attacks have shaken me to the core, but The Lord has reminded me that He is my shelter. No matter what winds are blowing in your direction today, ladies, remember that. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is sheltering you because He loves you so dearly.

Fortress

I love the definition that Dictionary.com gives for fortress: “any place of exceptional security; stronghold.”

I picture God lovingly gathering His children into His arms and holding them close. He is our fortress, sisters. He is secure. He is our stronghold. As He is walking with me through this season of healing, I am asking Him to hold me tightly, and He is. He is the most exceptional security there is. I can depend on Him, and so can you. Even if you don’t think you can take one more step or experience one more disappointment, God is strong, and He is walking with you every step of the way. Guaranteed.

Trust

Friends, I have to be real. My anxiety battle has physically and emotionally knocked me around like a ship on a stormy sea for quite a long time. I have had nights when my insomnia kept me wide awake, and I was spent. Trusting God has been tough for me, but you know what? I told Him that. He’s big enough to handle it! I laid out my pain, my exhaustion, my fear, my sadness – everything – to Him. I talked. I cried. I prayed. You know what is amazing, sisters? This battle is drawing me closer to Him, and I need Him even more. Isn’t He wonderful? He has neither forgotten me nor forsaken me. As I am beginning my season of therapy and medical appointments, I can trust that God is there, He always has been there, and He will continue to be there. Does that mean that my life is going to be pain free? No, but I am confident I will not go through it without Him. 

And that is great news!

Read Psalm 91 every day for 30 days. If you are in a season of pain, ask God to help you trust Him and see Him as your shelter and your fortress.

Father in Heaven, when we are hurting and experiencing a terribly tough season, it can be hard for us to trust You sometimes. Please help us to see You as our protector and our shelter from the storms in our lives. You can be trusted, and we love you so dearly … In Jesus’ Name, Amen.