Find Your Fortress

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge . . . (Psalms 18:2)

Many times, I have worked at a problem, trying many different ways to solve it, resorting to prayer only when all else has failed. When I finally get to that point, I realize that I should have started with God in the first place. It’s not my natural inclination to seek help.

In the destructive wake of my addiction, I was absolutely lost, without hope and thus, was finally ready to turn desperately to God. In my needy state, I found myself where I should have been all along, clinging to God as my fortress and refuge. This is where I was created to live, in a constant state of dependence on God, but often, it’s only in my disaster that I assume my right relation to Him.

In my desperate state, I found those who, like me, struggled. I went to jail. I went to the local Christian sober living facility. I intentionally met with others who knew how much they needed God. I purposefully sought out those who also required a fortress and refuge. In those places, I met with men who understood my struggle and together, we found safety and healing in God.

We all have something. We all have some struggle that makes us feel weak and alone. That battle can isolate and frustrate us, or it can drive us to seek our fortress and protection in God. In our fortress, we can find others, who are willing to be honest about their struggles and their need for Him.

When we wrestle with some miserable life problem, we shouldn’t turn to God only as a last resort. We must realize that we were made to continually rely on Him as our refuge and strength. We must understand that we were made to live in community with others who need and seek God as we do. In our struggle, we must make the intentional choice to find our fortress.