Refuge

We seek refuge in perfectionism.  If we base our identity on performance, we make ourselves vulnerable when our performance does not match our expectations.  We seek to protect ourselves from pain, but find ourselves in more pain.  We need to relinquish perfectionism and find a better refuge.  The Lord creates the best refuge.  Let’s trust Him.

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.  The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.  Psalm 37:39-40

A relationship with the Lord does not depend on performance, but on His unmerited love and favor.  “The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me” (Psalm 116:6).  We might scoff at the verse and try to solve all our problems with our own wisdom rather than simply trusting the Lord.

To be simplehearted, we need to let go of our perfectionism and embrace the Lord’s goodness to us.  As the song says, “His love is amazing, steady and unchanging.”  We need faith to receive His love.

When we belong to God, we belong no matter where we are.  We may be excluded by some group at some point in time, but we still belong to Him, and His opinion of us is the only one that matters.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1