Rest in the shadow of the Almighty

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)

Last weekend, I had lunch with one of my dear friends, in celebration of her birthday. The conversation turned to talk of my hope for the future, as well as events from my past. I only revealed my full testimony to this friend a few months ago, even though we’ve known each other for over seven years. Only a select few people ever knew my whole story until recently, but now that I’ve blogged about it, I’ve become more comfortable sharing it. 

Towards the end of our luncheon, my friend looked me in the eye and remarked how she never knew anyone who experienced the things that I have. “You could have your own reality TV show, and everyone would be mesmerized,” she said. “I know I’d watch it, faithfully!” 

While I laughed, she told me she was serious. Truth is often stranger than fiction. Guess that’s why Americans are so addicted to reality TV. We all want to know the drama going on next door.   

I’ll never forget a former minister’s words as he entreated us to remember to be kind to one another, as we never know what kind of struggle the person next to us is going through. Life is messy. It hurts. Bad things happen to all of us. We get sick. We lose our jobs. People take advantage of us. We hate our jobs. We never get enough sleep. We don’t have enough money. Our bodies break down, and our loved ones die. Life is hard. 

But that’s not to say that life can’t also be good — quite the contrary. Life can be as joyous as it is heartbreaking. The wonderment of newfound love, the incredulity of a fiery sunset, the satisfaction of a dream fulfilled – all these things give life meaning as they fill our souls with the exhilaration of being alive. 

In my lifetime, I’ve experienced both gutwrenching pain and abject joy. While I’ve often said I can do with a lot less of the former, I believe my appreciation for the latter comes from having walked through the difficult. We can’t fully appreciate mountaintop experiences unless we’ve struggled through the valleys. If our lives were consistently full of sunshine and rainbows, we’d soon come to take the sun for granted. There’s nothing like the stark contrast of blue skies after days filled with a deep grey. 

And so, I count my blessings daily. I start my prayers to God with thank you’s for the good things He’s blessed me with before I ever begin my list of petitions. I can always find something to complain about. I prefer not to. 

I actively choose to look for the good in life. I purposely place painful things behind me, sometimes even as I’m walking through them. I don’t dismiss them. I walk through them because I know God is with me. I know He will give me rest on the other side of my trials. Good and bad circumstances are both a part of life. There are always two sides to every coin. 

Knowing this truth, I elect to dwell in the shelter of the Most High. I can find joy through even the most difficult of circumstances because I commit to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. God is with me. He’s walked me through the valleys and has placed me on mountaintops. I know He will continue to do so, all the remaining days of my life.  

I don’t know how exciting a reality television show would be if it were to focus on someone who refuses to stay down, no matter how many punches are thrown – but that is my existence. I’ve been leveled more than a few times in my lifetime, and I expect to be decimated a few more – but that’s okay. I know who my Savior is, and I know He will always be with me. There’s no storm He can’t see me through and no heartache I can’t overcome with His help.

Rest in His shadow, beloved, and you, too, can say the same.