Psalms 91 has been a lifeline and thread of hope to me for so many years: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall find rest…in the secret place.” Just those honest words starting it out, and talking about refuge, a quiet place, a much needed place for all of us weary road warriors (and those of you who are not weary, or think all is good, great and fine: we all know we have those times of weariness, just watch and see!). Ahhh, but rest does come; it really does.
Even though my last two secret refuges of rest, writing, meditating and praying places that I have continually escaped to at times, were only a few miles from the hustle and bustle of the city of Nashville, there is something so intimately special about the quiet-peaceful solitude and the lush beautiful surroundings that seem to always bring His ever-loving, His ever-caring. His ever nurturing and restoring Presence even so much more closer to me than what I feel on a daily basis. Now of course that really is not true, since the Word says He is always with us, He never changes, no matter what, no matter where, no matter when. I found myself driving today to one of those places all by myself and sitting there, praying for you, for me, for those whom I love and adore and admire.
His presence continually envelops me, and it does you as well. It surrounds me and today I find myself in an unusually quiet and contented place of unashamed surrender (oh, I wish I wasn’t so stubborn and selfish at times!). I am desperately acknowledging and accepting a fresh awareness of His magnificent love for me. WOW! HE STILL LOVES ME, and you, my friend, as well. Yes He does! I find myself listening (striving to put aside all of my worries, doubts, fears and insecurities) for His still small voice. I can feel Him. He is standing right beside me, He is holding my hand and I feel His arm draped around my shoulder, like those good friends of ours do at times.
It’s nice, it’s comforting, and it’s peaceful. Right now for me, it is so needed. He who dwells in the secret place of the most High, he finds shelter. No, I wish I could say the touch and feelings I am sensing are tangible, but they are not. But emotionally, I know He is with me. And you.
Lately, peace is a word that I have used many times when asked how I am doing, or while answering the age-old question that we are always asked, “are you ok?” Most of us just lie our way through the honesty of that. After all, who wants to hear our scary fears, that torrential downpour of negativity that in all sincerity we might have reason to have in our lives, the overwhelming burden of loss of whatever it is that we each will have to lose at times, and what about the financial difficulties and trials that seem to nearly bury us alive. Oh, and we all have had those times!
And of course dear ones, what about the uncertainty of what is yet to come for our future, amidst the painful separation of someone whom you have loved and have been loved by. Yes, the flame has flickered (for so many reasons), and the embers are barely visible by the human eye.
So you hastily continue to run, earnestly trying to rid yourself of anything that might remotely offer peace.
Or maybe you have been riding the crest of those huge never-ending waves of amazing joy, contentment and peace, then all of a sudden, quickly, abruptly, everything comes to a haunted halt and those wonderful fresh feelings have disappeared. They are gone…diminished. You are struggling with every breath within you to once again get back up. You beg to stand, you have to reach and make every possible effort to gain ground. You race after the peace, the quietness, the hope, and the restoration of whatever it is you have lost.
We all go through those times, every one of us! And those of you that say you don’t, well you are just fibbing to the rest of us! But that’s ok, it really is, because I have done it a few times, just a few….
So today, let me offer you some of my peace, my surrender, my quiet time, and maybe even a little of my contentment. Lean on me, but even more important, please lean on HIM. Let Him lead you to that quiet place, that place that you will find what it is you need to find. Listen really closely; He wants to speak. He wants to hold you. Again I say it: “HE WHO DWELLS IN THE SECRET PLACE.†You can and will find refuge and strength! Ask me…go ahead….ask me…I know!
Written by Dusty Wells.
First published by SGN Scoops digital magazine in February 2015 in the column “Wisdom From Wells.” For current issues of SGN Scoops, visit the main site HERE.
