The Shelter of the Most High!

What better place to be than in the shelter of the Most High. When I think of that statement "the shelter of the Most High", I think of being totally and completely protected, covered and sheltered from every storm, every trial. Then my thoughts turn to thinking that I won't have to endure any of the pain and anguish that might come along from them, I think of being held and carried, protected from any pain that might accompany them and definitely never alone. Somewhere along the way, my thoughts have turned to myself and thinking about me and what I can get from the "shelter". How can I be cared for, etc.? But is that what life is really all about? Is this what it truly means to be in "The Shelter of The Most High"? I have found that my thinking starts out right, but then satan gets in there and does his twist on things and gets everything all topsy turvy. Then before I know it, my thoughts are pretty "fleshy" thoughts.

I am a pretty strong person, well I like to think I am and most people who know me will tell you the same. I often wonder about those people who say that, are they giving me a compliment or are they critizing me? Is that a positive thing or a negative thing? I had someone tell me once (about 15 years ago), "...when you walk into a room, people see a person with lots of strength, someone who has it all together, someone who has goals and desires and knows how to reach them, but what they don't see is that you are falling apart on the inside". His comment was kind of like the phrase many of us have heard at some point in our lives, "never let them see you sweat". Well, I am truly that kind of person. I don't want anyone to know of my struggles or trials because the flesh part of me thinks they will believe that I am a wimpy, weak person. Sounds like my "fleshy" thoughts that I mentioned above were driving my life. But as I am getting older and learning that I am not as strong as I thought I was, nor do I want to be, I am realizing that my true shelter does not come from me being strong or even giving the appearance of being strong, it comes from the Shelter of the Most High.

I have begun sharing my deepest struggles with those who are closest to me. I am learning that others have the same struggles. It is sad and refreshing at the same time. Here we are running around thinking that we are going through all these struggles and no one has any idea what we are going through, but the truth is, WE ARE ALL GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING. Sure our struggles are different and some of us have more struggles than others, but we are all struggling. It only makes sense that we would lean on one another and share with one another in order to allow God to work through us to reach others. But you see, our pride gets in the way....if we admit that we have struggles or that we need help or that we are "falling apart on the inside", then people might think that we are less than we are. Not true!!! That is what satan wants us to believe. People who are truly walking with the Lord and have His spirit will not think we are less than we are, they will love us and care for us and they will be a shelter for us. These people that come to our aid when we are struggling, they are the ones that God is living through, they are someone tangible that God has placed in our midst so we can feel the Shelter of the Most High...through them.

I am living in the Shelter of the Most High and my prayer is that by sharing my struggles and victories with others, maybe they too will come to rest under the shelter of the Most High!

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Ps. 1:1