What is Refuge?
Refuge is a safe place, and there are many things in life that can make us want to find safety in something. Maybe our longing for safekeeping comes from a physical threat to our wellbeing, emotional distress from a toxic relationship, trauma from spiritual abuse - the list goes on. In any case, how we navigate undesired or difficult circumstances can either lead us down a path to find refuge or it can lead us to bitterness and resentment. Let's explore what it means to have refuge become restorative.
Can't I help myself?
In our lives, we cannot escape the experience of brokenness in some way or another. Maybe it's a broken dream, a broken friendship or a broken heart. When there's brokenness in our lives, we tend to have a difficult time helping ourselves out of it.
The unique characteristic of stories of the broken-hearted in the Bible is the hope that we glean knowing these individuals were not alone in their struggle.
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18
So, what can I do in my brokenness?
No matter what life throws our way, finding refuge in God in the midst of trouble and choosing to rest in the assurance of our great Lord can bring restoration after brokenness.
One example in particular in the Bible of how drawing close to God in our brokenness brings restoration is the story of Ruth. This woman lost her family, including her husband to famine and hard times and as a result, was willing to follow her mother-in-law Naomi into a foreign land and choose to love God. In her act of devotion for both God and kinship with her mother-in-law, the Lord used her brokenness to begin to reveal the beauty of restoration in her life. A wealthy farmer took interest in Ruth and the great character and integrity she had - this man, Boaz, redeems Ruth's late husband's land and eventually marries her, ultimately preserving the bloodline that goes on to bring forth King David. God turned her story is one of despair and loss, to one of great redemption.
"You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." Psalm 119:114 NIV
Reflection
Pause: What does it mean to put your hope in the Lord?
Pray: Father, help me to not only read Your Holy Word, but help me to put my trust and hope in the life that You have for me through Your Word. Lord, I thank you that I can claim refuge in You. You faithfully shield me and carry me through this life, and You are, even if I can't see it today, restoring every broken thing in me.
Why would I seek refuge?
When we turn to the Lord in our brokenness and seek out His wisdom through scripture, we disallow adversity to have the upper hand.
Refuge after trauma
The Lord never intended us to experience brokenness, however this byproduct of a fallen and sinful world has allowed such suffering. God wants to set us free and bring restoration in our lives.
"... He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." Isaiah 61:1-3
Refuge as a mindset
In life, there are periods where we may experience feelings of fear, anxiousness, and oppression within our own minds. Even if our physical situation isn't the source of our circumstance, we can still take refuge. When we deny the power of these otherwise crippling experiences over our lives, we can begin to build a rhythm of refuge as we choose to seek God daily.
The daily comfort of refuge
Seeing our way through painful situations in our own strength can and will likely take over our lives. Yet even our very pain can be seen as a distraction (dare I say) that can inhibit us from ever overcoming situations - like when a we carry the weight of trauma that may have happened in childhood, left in our own strength, it can warp and taint perceptions even into adulthood. When we don't filter our circumstances through the eyes and love of Jesus, we will often fail to see how He is taking our pain and using it for good.
"And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Spending time with the Lord illuminates a narrative that is full of mercy and redemption. Each day spent with Him is like striking a musical note - that when days become weeks and weeks turn into years, there is a beautiful song discovered. If any day had not been with the Lord, it would be like hearing a song with notes missing; it sounds strange to the ears.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him" Psalm 34:8
The Lord offers comfort through closeness with Him. Let it be encouragement to pursue that musical tune that the Lord has for our lives, so that anything less than that simply feels strange.
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