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What if the key to surviving life’s biggest storms isn’t fighting harder, but surrendering completely? This Lent, discover how seeking refuge in God can bring you the peace and strength you’ve been searching for.
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Even in the fiercest storms, a refuge is waiting. Are you stepping inside?The Storms We Can’t Control
In The Perfect Storm, a crew of seasoned fishermen sets sail, expecting a routine haul. Instead, they’re swallowed by an unstoppable force—towering waves, howling winds, and chaos no amount of skill can outmaneuver. The ocean doesn’t care how prepared they are. The storm takes them anyway.
Life does that too.
A job loss. A devastating diagnosis. A relationship that crumbles without warning. We like to believe we’re in control, but moments like these remind us that we are not. And yet, we keep trying. We keep fighting the waves, convinced we can outmaneuver the storm.
Lent is an invitation to do something radical: stop fighting. Take shelter. Seek refuge in something greater than yourself.
Psalm 27 tells us, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Yet in Luke 13, we see the heartbreaking reality—Jesus longs to gather His people under His wings, but they refuse.
This season is a chance to ask ourselves: Are we running to God for refuge, or resisting the very shelter He offers?
1. Seek Refuge in God, Not in Yourself
David, the author of Psalm 27, knew danger intimately. He had been hunted, betrayed, and surrounded by enemies. But he also knew something many of us forget:
Security doesn’t come from avoiding hardship. It comes from being near God.
“One thing I have asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4)
David wasn’t praying for an easier life. He was praying for closeness. Because when you’re close to God, fear loses its grip.
Actionable Step:
Start your mornings in stillness. Before the phone. Before the news. Just sit with God. A simple prayer or a single verse can reset your entire day.
Mistake to Avoid:
Don’t use Lent as a time for religious “checkboxing.” It’s not about proving your devotion. It’s about drawing near.
🔗 Recommended Resource: If you need help building a habit of morning prayer, check out Every Moment Holy.
2. Stop Believing the Lie of Self-Reliance
In Luke 13, Jesus cries over Jerusalem:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)
The image is clear—a mother hen, wings wide open, calling her chicks to safety. But they won’t come. They think they can handle the world on their own.
Sound familiar?
We convince ourselves we don’t need help. We say, “I’ve got this,” even when we clearly don’t. We run ourselves into exhaustion, pretending we’re stronger than we are.
Jesus offers shelter. But He won’t force us inside.
Actionable Step:
This Lent, practice surrender. Instead of pushing through stress alone, pause and pray when you feel overwhelmed.
Mistake to Avoid:
Pride. It’s easy to make plans and then ask God to bless them. But what if we sought His guidance first?
🔗 Recommended Resource: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer is a fantastic read if you’re struggling to slow down and surrender.
3. Stand Firm When Life Tries to Shake You
Paul writes in Philippians:
“Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
Lent is a chance to realign with this truth. We aren’t just surviving another season—we are preparing for something greater. But standing firm in faith isn’t easy. The world is loud. Temptations are constant. The pressure to conform is exhausting.
But faith isn’t just believing in God. It’s living like we believe Him.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “Faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it.” In other words, faith is a choice. Every day.
Actionable Step:
Write down one fear or struggle you’ve been avoiding. Then, find a scripture that speaks to it. When doubt creeps in, return to that verse.
Mistake to Avoid:
Waiting for motivation. Faith is built in the choices we make before we feel ready.
🔗 Recommended Resource: If you’re looking for encouragement, Live No Lies by John Mark Comer is a powerful book on standing firm in a culture that pulls us away from truth.
The Choice is Yours
Lent is a season of surrender.
Psalm 27 reminds us that God is our light and salvation—that in Him, we have nothing to fear. But Luke 13 warns us: It is possible to resist the very shelter we need.
We don’t get to control life’s storms. We don’t get to calm the waves or quiet the winds.
But we do get to choose where we run for refuge.
The fishermen in The Perfect Storm didn’t survive because they couldn’t. The storm was too great.
But our story isn’t over yet. The refuge we need is right in front of us.
The only question is—will we step inside?
Final Prayer
“Almighty God, You know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls. Teach us to seek You, to repent of our self-reliance, and to stand firm in faith. As we journey through Lent, may we surrender fully to Your shelter through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
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