Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:8
There are times when we need to be reminded of the value and magnificence of God’s care over us. Whether it be sickness or strife, God never abdicates His role in our lives. We often forget just how much God is involved in the things that we do and the protection we so often need. As I’m reading over this verse today, I’m overwhelmed at God’s provision in this amazing way.
Trust in God at all times
Trusting God means to have full confidence in Him and his concern and care for us. If there is ever a time when we need to hear this, it is today. No one really understands what you’re going through except God. He understands. He’s been watching you for years. Even before you were born (Psalm 139). I know that sounds crazy, but He has. And in this Psalm, David asks us to do something that is counter to what society teaches us.
Society teaches us to trust ourselves, our feelings, our thoughts, our education, our friends, our family, and our desires. But Scripture goes so much deeper. David says to trust God at all times. Not just when things seem to be going our way or when all of the pieces in our lives fit nicely into the puzzle we’re creating. But at all times. When the difficulty of failure, depression, despair, uncertainty, and sickness come our way, we trust Him. When our world completely falls apart, we trust Him.
Why is this important? It’s important because God, who created the universe (Genesis 1:1), is a caring and loving God who has your best interest in mind. Regardless of our outward circumstances, we trust Him.
Pour out your heart before Him at all times
This places you in a vulnerable position that flows from complete and unwavering trust in God, who cares for you with limitless love. When David says to “pour out,” he says to tell God the things of your heart withholding nothing. How long would it take for you to pour out your heart before Him completely? Think about it. If you can trust Him at all times, pouring your heart out before Him should be easy. But it’s not.
We try to logically say, “If God knows everything already, then he knows my heart and what I’m going through. I don’t have to pour out my heart. He already knows it.” While that is true, it is also true that He wants us to assume the position of humility that can only exist in a world of complete trust. Pour your heart out before Him. He wants to hear your heart. He cares about you.
God is a refuge for us at all times
It is so interesting how this one verse follows such a great pattern. We trust God, pour our hearts out to God, and then we are reminded that the God we trust is a refuge for us. This is a great truth for us all today. God is our refuge. I have often told groups of people at funerals that God is our refuge and our strength. That sounds good, but the question for each of us is, do we believe that?
One author puts it this way. He says a refuge is a person to whom one flees. Do you see the connection? Trust leads to crying out in humility and sharing the deepest parts of our hearts. That same complete trust causes us to flee to God for help and security. He is a refuge. Some may even say He is your hiding place.
When life gets you down, and you need a shelter, help, or security, God is the one who ultimately provides that for us. We can search for comfort and safety in things we possess like money, stuff, and more stuff, but they will never provide refuge for us when we desperately need it.
Who are you trusting today to walk alongside you in the darkest times of your life? Who are you leaning on to give you the strength you need for that job interview? Who are you trusting to be your refuge today, and are you running to Him?