The Secret to Survival (Hint: It's Not Chocolate)

When you hear the word "stronghold", do you think of something negative? I do. 

I mean, I did. Until a couple of days ago:

"He is their stronghold in time of trouble." Ps. 37:39 

"The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?" Ps. 27:1

Definitely not negative.

Check out this definition:

Stronghold: A place of survival. A refuge. An impenetrable fortress.  


This seriously sounds too good to be true.  


God is a place of survival. Your place. My place. Why would I run anywhere else? 


And yet, I do. Repeatedly.


I have bolted to food (sugar-laden anything, not broccoli), and WAY too much of it. I have run to girlfriends, "You are NOT going to believe what happened?!!" (and I am right, right?). I have sprinted to media/technology (little box, please distract me and make me feel better). 


Rather than run to our Stronghold, the most satisfying and exhaustive Refuge EVER, I run to what I think will make me feel better. 


Yeah, that lasts about five seconds.


Oh sure, I run like heck to Him with the "colossal" stuff, but not so much the "little" stuff. As if God rates our needs (He does not). Or, as if He doesn't care about the "little" stuff (He does).  


He just wants us to run to Him.


God is our place of survival. He is our retreat, our sheltered protection, our haven. He is our utmost security where NOTHING can separate us from Him.


While food, media and too many other things frequently seduce the need to soothe my soul, they are temporary at best.  


The secret is out, our Stronghold is waiting for us.


Thanks for reading,
L.