“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 

I have the honor and privilege of ministering to students who are going through hard times and in those hard times it is my goal to point them to the Most High.  

Recently we talked about character defects. You know the things we use to “protect” ourselves; things that once served us in a season but now are harming ourselves and others.  

As we discussed their “fortresses” and/or things they used to protect themselves, it was evident that they hadn’t taken rest in the shadow of the Most High. Knowing what I know, it makes sense. Some of the things they had been through make it hard to trust the shadow.  

If I’ve learned anything, oh how you can trust the shadow! The shadow is a place where you can find comfort, rest, breathing room, healing, and nothing that the world can give you.  When I think of the power of healing and the shadow, I arrive at Acts 5:15 “As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.”  

Where have you learned to escape to? If we are being honest, most of us don’t run or immediately think we trust the shadow.  If we are honest, we run to family, friends, technology, doctors, alcohol, drugs, or anything that has given us a sense of protection. Not all of these things are “bad,” however we can’t trust them like the shadow of the Most High.   

As you sit in this today, I invite you to sit in it, breathe in it, rest in it, and know that healing happens in the shadow.  

Questions for reflection: 

  1. What is the thing and or person you run to for safety? 
  2. Where do you immediately turn to for healing or rest?  
  3. A character defect is what we use to protect ourselves, a behavior that has once served us, usually a learned behavior – do you know your character defect(s)? Once you identify them, ask God to remove them and replace them with his Spirit and guidance.