To Those Who Seek God

"The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
   a stronghold in times of trouble.
 Those who know your name will trust in you,
   for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."
Psalm 9:9&10

Sometimes I feel that we need a word of encouragement and comfort. When I have faced difficulties that seem too much for me to bear, I often find that comfort in the pages of the Psalms. The writers of the Psalms were people just like us, who faced the same kinds of difficulties we do. Often their lives were in danger, or there was famine or war. In these worldly struggles, the Psalmists found strength and comfort in God. The words they wrote are still cherished by all who read them.
    If you feel oppressed today, there is a refuge for you. Oppression is simply "A sense of being weighed down in body or mind." (Merriam-Webster.com). Sometimes the weighing down of our souls is extreme. We cannot seem to gain victory over the flood of emotions that overcome us. Sometimes circumstances seem to close in around us, pressing on our lives so much that we feel the weight of oppression. But God is our refuge. When we cannot find solace anywhere else, he is our strong refuge.
    Troubled times come upon all of us. They seem more common now than ever before. But there is nothing that can happen to us that God does not understand. In fact, Jesus experienced many of the same troubles we do, and more. When troubled times are upon us, we feel weak. It sometimes seems that we cannot rise above the trial or circumstance. It is in those times that we will find a source of strength, a stronghold in God himself. He promises it to us. We have a sure stronghold that will never fail us. He is God and he is all powerful.
    For us, there remains only two things to do. We must trust him implicitly, and we must seek him with all our hearts. To those who will do this, he promises to be our refuge and stronghold. We can count on it. There are countless stories of those who have cried out to God in times of crisis. God has met them and provided for their needs. We read about them in the Bible and we hear the stories regularly. Even those who ordinarily do not acknowledge God, will cry out in desperate times. So for those who genuinely seek him, there is refuge and strength that is guaranteed. There is no force that can stop him, no foe that can stand against him.
    A refuge is a place of security. A stronghold is a place of power. We have both...all the time. Today, take courage and comfort in the fact that God has promised to be our refuge and stronghold. As you take on each day and face oppressing times, let these words echo in your mind, "You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." God is merciful, loving, and strong for those who seek him.