God is Our Refuge

"The LORD is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in Him!"
~Nahum 1:7

God is our refuge--He is always there for us when we need Him! A thought came to my mind after my work-day ended yesterday: "It's going to be okay!" This may not seem like a huge revelation, but I guess I would have to say that for me, it is! I tend to be pessimistic (I like to call it realistic, but either way, my natural inclination is not to have a positive outlook), and just the idea that things are going to be okay, that they're going to work out, was comforting. And the reason I could say things would be okay? GOD! He is in control. He loves me. He wants the best for me. Yes, I'm struggling with different issues in my life, and it's never easy. But the truth is, I have a God who lived and died and rose again, all to give me the opportunity to have an eternal lifetime of knowing and loving Him! I have to say, this is definitely something worth praising Him for!

Becoming an Overcomer

Another theme that God has been weaving through my life is the idea of being an "overcomer." When I face difficulties, discouragement, or doubt, I tend to succumb to the temptation to give up--instead of relying on God to overcome these giants.

During my lunch break at work the other day, I flipped on the radio in my car and was encouraged to hear the song, "Overcomer," by Mandisa. The words really spoke to my heart! The chorus of the song reads:

You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

I certainly didn't FEEL like an overcomer at that point, or even that I could become one. But that night, God reiterated His desire for me to grow in this area. My devotional reading from Streams in the Desert spoke about overcoming difficulties. One of the most poignant sections stated:

Giants represent great difficulties, and they stalk us everywhere. They are in our families, our churches, our social life, and even our own hearts. We must overcome them or they will devour us, just as the ancient Israelites, fearing those in Canaan, said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size" (Numbers 13:32). We should exhibit faith as did Joshua and Caleb, who said, "Do not be afraid...because we will swallow them up " (Numbers 14:9). In effect, they told the others, "We will be stronger by overcoming them than if there had been no giants to defeat."

As I face new--as well as familiar--giants each day, I have God's promise that He will never give me more than I can bear, with His help (1 Corinthians 10:13). With His Word in my mind and the Holy Spirit in my heart, I have the ability to overcome anything that the enemy puts in my path. I need only to rely on Him and to allow Him to transform me into an overcomer, day by day.