January 14, 2026
**TRIGGER WARNING**
A Fortress in the Chaos
”God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”- Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)
Reflection
Today, 2026, often feels like the world is shifting beneath our feet. The very foundation we rely on is getting ready to crumble. The fear and anxiety we feel is tearing away at the fabric of our lives. Whether it is a personal issue, failed expectations, or the crazy pace of life in general, the “mountains” we rely on (family, friends) seem to be trembling. We try to hold on but our grip isn’t strong enough and our resolve has diminished. We are just tired-done and over it.
Psalm 46 doesn’t promise a life free from these problems; instead, it tells us how to stand firm when we are facing trials in our life. The psalmist uses images of world changing catastrophes to describe a time of coming undone. These images can also be used to describe the fear and anxiety that have our mind raging like the waves in the “roaring” sea. Our hands “quake” like the mountains as our bodies physically respond to the stress we feel. These are situations that are altered by the current position we find ourselves in. Fortunately, the man who penned this chapter knew exactly what to do to quiet the storms.
When we find ourselves in the middle of the metaphorical earthquakes and tsunamis of life, we are in desperate need of stability. Fear and anxiety take over when we feel we have no control. The very first word of this verse gives us the answer to the problem-“God”. We are in need of something long-term and solid, and that something is God.
God as Refuge
The verse says “God is our refuge and strength.” Refuge is defined as a safe place to hide. The Hebrew word “machaseh” describes it as a shelter from storms, dangers, and falsehood. Falsehoods represent the not-so-helpful “refuges” we tend to flee to-bad habits like alcohol, food, pornography, and social media (for some) that take the place of God.
In the Bible, refuge is more than just a place to hide; it’s an intentional choice to go toward God’s protection when life feels overwhelming and unsafe. It is an “active trust” to “take refuge” (chasah) or literally “flee for protection.” This is where we move away from a place of fear and run toward God as our main source of security. God as refuge isn’t an “emergency exit” we use for a crisis; it’s intended to be our daily dwelling place.
God as Strength
While a refuge is where you go for protection (outward defense), strength is what God puts inside us to keep us standing when it feels like the whole world is falling apart. God as strength goes beyond Him just being powerful; it shows Him as being our very own, “inexhaustible source of power” that makes it possible for us to endure. God’s strength doesn’t always mean the “earthquake” stops. It means we are given the inner resilience to remain unshakable even while the “mountains” tremble.
God as Ever-Present
The final thing we need when we feel the loss of control due to fear and anxiety, is consistency. We need someone or something we can count on to always be there. It’s not entirely easy or fair to put the responsibility of always being there on one person.
There was a time in my life when I was in, what felt like, perpetual crisis and my thinking wasn’t clear. Many times I fell back on the “falsehoods”as my refuge. I drank a lot trying to numb the pain, anxiety and fear. When that didn’t work, I would self-harm. The details aren’t necessary as I don’t want others to be triggered. Suffice to say my thought process was very self-centered and unhealthy. I didn’t realize how lucky I was or what I could have had. See, my best friend was always there for me. Unfortunately, I was so wrapped up in my “crisis” that I failed to remember that she had a life too. She had her own struggles and anxieties. She, however, was dutifully there for me whenever I decided life was getting to be too much to handle. She would talk to me and try to calm me down at all hours-day or night. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t a totally selfish beast. I was there for her, just not in the way I should have been. Long story short, our friendship wasn’t the beautifully, mutual give and take that it could have been.
My friend gave me a beautiful, earthly look at what ‘ever-present’ looks like. She was there in my darkest hours, when I was too wrapped up in my own crisis to see hers. But even the best human presence is finite. When she passed, I was reminded that while her human love was a refuge, only God is an ever-present one. There were times when she had the desire or want to be with me, but her own anxieties prevented that. We don’t have to worry about that with God. He is there for all crisis’ without becoming drained by His own issues, because He has none. She taught me what to look for -a love that is constant. God is the fulfillment of that search. He is the friend who stays, His presence isn’t cut short by death.
Her friendship was like the first light of dawn.The beautiful pinks and purples of the sunrise with a sliver of light showing through the darkness. It showed that the beauty of light could penetrate the darkness and gave me hope. But God is the whole sun that persistently never sets. He shows that light conquers the darkness and illuminates my path. He is the light that shows me the way and the very Strength that carries me through.
We each have a Father and Friend who shines through the darkness and illuminates our path. God is “ever-present”. This means that He is the constant consistency that we need in times of fear and uncertainty. But not just then. Our God is omnipresent, therefore He is everywhere at all times.There is no waiting in line or being put on hold. He eagerly waits for us to call.
As the world around you continues to shift, stop trying to find your footing in the crumbling landscape. Choose today to stand firm on the only foundation that cannot be moved-the ever-present, all-powerful God who is both, your safe haven and your strength.
Challenge for Today: No matter how loud the waters roar or how shaky the ground beneath you feels, you can rest in the confidence that you are never facing the chaos alone. Your refuge is holding you and His strength is carrying you through to the other side. Get a sticky note, index card, or a piece of paper and write: “My Refuge. My Strength. My Ever-Present.” When everything that can be shaken is falling away, remember this: “the Earth may give way, but the God who stands beside you never will.”
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