He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91: 1-2, KJV

Did you have a “secret place” as a child? “Secret places” are where children go to hide from every one and every thing else. They may want to hide because they just don’t want to be around other people for awhile. They may hide because they want to play all by themselves and not share toys with others. Or, they may hide because they are frightened. In each case, their secret place affords them safety, security, and protection from something or someone.

As adults we are rarely afforded the luxury of the same kind of secret place a child can enjoy. When we want to run away from someone or something, we really can’t. As adults, we have to face those problems, whatever shape, form, or fashion they may take. It doesn’t matter if your problems are financial, marital, job-related, or some-other-related in nature, you have to face them one way or another. Stress and worry usually accompany such struggles, but they don’t have to. All we need do is remember that in God we do have a secret place to run to, a place where we can be sheltered from the stress and worry of the moment.

Just like a child’s first instinct is to run to the arms of a parent when he or she is frightened, our first instinct as God’s children should be to do the same. Imagine yourself running to Him! Feel His strong arms wrap around you! Trust in the mighty fortress of His strength and wisdom that envelops you. And take comfort as you hear Him recount to you His promise of Romans 8:28: “…all things work together for good to them that love God…”

Can we escape the struggle that we face today? No. We must face it. But we can escape the stress and worry that accompanies it by running to and by trusting in our secret place, God Almighty!