The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. (Ps. 18:2)
The idea of God as a fortress is foreign to us because we don’t live in an age that requires physical fortresses and we have a preoccupation with output. One peek at a family’s schedule—or church’s—reveals that we confuse busyness with effectiveness. Living our lives amidst a flurry of activity isn’t a recipe for a well-measured life; it’s a pathway to a fragmented soul.
Most people I know—from stay-at-home moms to leaders of large corporations in my town—fear nothing more than being thought of as a “low-capacity person.” We all want to be known for saying yes when people ask for help or to work on a big project. God’s trustworthiness as a refuge paves the way for us to resist the temptation to believe our work is what holds it all together. It gives us the centeredness and identity required to say no to good things that prevent us from doing the most meaningful things.
The only way to find God trustworthy as a refuge is to retreat from the busyness for a while and be with him. If you find yourself taking on more things, the odds are you’re saying yes to people, but in your heart you mean no. Seeing God as your rock might mean—even for a week or two—saying no to things that keep you from accomplishing your most important priorities.
Identify where your yes commitments should have been a no.
Ethan Linder is the college, young adult, and connections pastor at College Wesleyan Church in Marion, Indiana, where he resides with his wife and son. Ethan enjoys running, reading, and roasting coffee.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
