A few weeks back, I wrote an editorial where I spoke about God and Therapy and how I made the decision to end my therapy sessions. I had a conversation with a good friend about this very topic, as they were feeling emotionally burdened and didn’t want to seek therapy because they have a relationship with God and it didn’t “feel right” to them. If you’ve been having similar feelings, I want to give you some advice and maybe even shift your perspective a little. When it comes to any time we’ve endured pain, sadness, distress, etc. believers or not, we sometimes blame God. We’ll question Him, asking all the why’s, how’s, and what’s. We want an explanation for the things we’ve experienced which results in negative thoughts, restless nights, stress, bad habits, and the list goes on. I remember a time when I felt as though my world had come crashing down, and I was asking God why I had to live through such an awful moment. My grandfather found me in the midst of my distress and said that we shouldn’t question God about why He allows certain things to happen, but instead we have to trust that He will get us through. As I go through the ebbs and flows of life, I appreciate my grandfather’s words more and more.
I’ve learned that when we question God, we see less of His character because of our problems and view Him as the opposite of what He is. God is loving, kind, and ever-present, but our perception of that will be skewed if we look at God through the filter of our hardships. The Bible describes God as our refuge time and time again, but when life hits us, we’re so quick to forget that. As much as I try to trust Him at all times (Ps. 62:8), I’ve caught myself slipping and asking those questions, but at some point, I have to make use of my refuge; we all do. What is it that makes you hesitant to seek God as your refuge? Pride? Shame? Guilt? Mistrust? Whatever the reason is, you must understand that as long as you continue to resist God as your refuge, you are depriving yourself of being fulfilled by Him. A refuge is a place of escape (Ps. 71:2), shelter (Ps. 61:3), protection (Ps. 121:1-2), and safety (Ps. 4:8). Our sweet relief from what’s happening around us (Ps. 23:2). If refuge is what you’re seeking in the midst of your distress, I can guarantee you that there is no better place to dwell than in the refuge of your Father.
The truth is, we need a place for our joy and our pain, and it’s time that we allow God to truly be that place for us. No created thing can bring us peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7), and they will never fill the voids we so desperately want to be filled. I believe that this is one of the many reasons the word emphasizes that we must be humble. We’re often deceived to think that we can find ways outside of God to solve our problems when in reality, we need God’s guidance and direction because we’ll get in our own way and lose sight of the One who has the answers, the safety, the peace, and healing we’re seeking. There’s a reason why His name is “I Am” (Exodus 3:14). It’s time that we let God be all that He wants to be in our lives and experience Him in His fullness. Make use of your refuge and experience the safety of abiding in the presence of God (Psalm 91) in the midst of whatever has come your way.
