diseases result in the most deaths per year in the
U.S.
Heart Disease: 596,577
Cancer: 576,691
Alzheimer’s: 84,974
Diabetes: 73,8311
We need both a refuge and rock to avoid these
diseases and to deal with them. The Center for
Disease control further documents that another
126,438 deaths are caused by accidents and
39,518 by suicide2.
Often we allow our minds and hearts to travel down
roads of despair, doubt, tragedy and utter ravage
which could easily be mitigated by or completely
avoided by leaning on the Rock. The Anxiety &
Depression Association of America reported that
anxiety disorders are the most common mental
illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults age
18 and older3.
While our mental and physical health are sending
out warning signals to us we often make them
even worse by depending too much on ourselves
to make decisions. These decisions are often
wrong, misguided and lead to even more stress
and despair.
In the US the basic architecture of the family has
decayed leading many to seek a refuge from other
sources. According to National KIDS COUNT, a
project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the
premier source for data on child and family wellbeing, in 2012 there were 24,725,000 children
living in single-parent homes4.
The families face countless trials and increased
stress and demands including being away from the
home and overworked. According to G.E. Miller
in “The U.S. is the Most Overworked Developed
Nation in the World – When do we Draw the Line,”
Americans work more hours during the year than
any other country racking up one hundred thirty
seven more hours than Japanese workers, 260
more hours than British workers and 499 more
hours than French workers.
In addition to daily stresses and dealing with what
we might consider day-to-day trials and “normal”
life, evil exists in our world. The only way to deal
with such evil is to rely on God as our one and
only refuge. For example, acc ording to RAINN
(Rape Abuse & Incest National Network) there is
an average of 237,868 victims of rape and sexual
assault each year6.
Simply stated, Americans are overworked,
spiritually unnourished, walking health grenades,
victims of evil and operating in stress induced a
comas! But, is it our own fault?
We’ve bought into the lie that we are in control
of our destinies. We do not lean on God, our rock.
We do not allow him to provide shelter for us and
depend on him to lead our way. Instead we believe
big is better, we must do it all on our own and that
earthly desires lead to our happiness. Do you
believe God intended your life to be this way?
If you truly use God as your refuge and your
strength then you have help in times of trouble
and there is no reason to fear anything. Fear of
physical disease, mental illness, earthly evil and
daily stresses will diminish.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…”
Psalm 46:1-2 KJV.
What would life look like if you trusted God as your
refuge and leaned on him as a solid rock? Would
life be without fear? Would you make decisions
knowing that God’s fortress is thick, surrounding
you and protecting you? Would you take chances
and lean on your faith more knowing that God, just
as an umbrella protects you from the rain, gives
you shelter from harm?
How do you get to the place where you fully trust
God and lean on him? It’s not as if God will appear
to you as a rock such as he did with Moses. How
do you fully seek his refuge? David is a good
example. You can easily relate to the numerous
trials he faced throughout his life.
He faced giant obstacles.
His friends became his enemies.
He suffered from depression.
He faced impending battles.
He fled and feared for his life.
Just to name a few!
No matter the trial David found refuge in God,
“My salvation and my honor depend on God; he
is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all
times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for
God is our refuge” Psalm 62:7–8.
David’s life was full of mistakes, U-turns and bad