Refuge

I remember when we lived in Alaska, my husband would go to work and I would be at home. I didn’t really  have a lot to do so I spent most of time in the house and sometimes I would go for walks. He had friends but I didn’t know a lot of other people apart from them. While at home I would spend time on Youtube watching mostly make-up videos. When I think back on it, I spent a crazy amount of time doing that but I realized that I was spending less time with the Lord. One day, I went into our guest room and began praying and spending time with the Lord. He  explained  to me that I had made          ” other things” my refuge. I would turn to make-up or Youtube when  I was upset, disappointed or sad instead of turning to Him. Idolatry begins with something as simple as that. I couldn’t believe that I allowed myself to fall into idol worship. The allure was not obvious but slowly and surely I traded my God for what did not profit. Make-up or Youtube is not bad but what it became to me was sin.  Youtube and make-up was an escape for me. It just kind of closed everything and everyone out; it didn’t require anything of me…. Instead of dealing with me I chose to put it off and escape.

This was almost a year ago but even today I have to be mindful that I don’t fall into the same trap. Something might happen and I start to feel overwhelmed or I’ve just had enough and I hear a voice “watch a make-up video”. Immediately, I have to pick up the Word or pray. The devil is trying to divert me from God to him. The truth is that after watching Youtube videos the problem was still there. Youtube didn’t provide comfort or a solution, but God is the solution. He’s the ONE that gives comfort. He’s our salvation. In a world  of so many things, it’s easy for us to neglect our true refuge. In the eye of the storm everything shakes except the one WHO watches over it. God allows certain situations to happen in our lives to make us stronger and to remind us of our true refuge. Not so that we can to other things but so we can run to Him. The one that we can run to and who will then strengthen us. We can’t look to the created things to do what only the Creator can. For me that created things was make-up and Youtube, for you it might be something else. But there is always something competing for dominion in our hearts. 

I just wanted to briefly share this because I KNOW THE DEVIL is warring for the reigning seat in our heart. But we have to remember who our refuge is! There’s so much more that can be said, but as the Lord works this out in me I’ll write about it! My brothers and sisters don’t trade in God for something that will and does not profit. That something can be a thing, person, institution or yourself. We are created to serve God our Creator.

The Lord has been speaking to me about this for at least 2 weeks in different ways so I just really want to encourage and strengthen my fellow Bloomers to take refuge in Jesus! 

‘ “For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, The fountain of living water, And they have carved out their own cisterns, Broken cisterns That cannot hold water.’

Jeremiah 2:13

Let’s pray

With Love through Christ, Nadesha