Psalms 121:1-8   I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Romans 8:37   … in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Psalm 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

From time to time, we all battle feelings of fear and insecurity.  We live in a world where information comes at us non-stop from television, radio, our phones, and computer screens. 

We have to allow ourselves to take a break from these constant notifications and headlines of worldly events that pop up on our phones and computers.  Be cautious of how much news you consume each day and limit the notifications that find their way onto your smartphone each day.  Instead, find ways to feed your spirit with God’s love.

I try to get some of God’s word into my mind on a daily basis.  Here are some ways I do this, I hope you will try them.  I love DailyAudioBible.com.  It’s a fresh reading of the old and new testaments, Psalms, and Proverbs daily.  I also use YouVersion app.  It automatically sends me a bible verse a day.  I have also worked through quite a few devotionals on their website.  The variety of free information and devotions on this site is truly amazing!  In addition, I listen to my local Christian radio station, Bott Radio Network and podcasts by some of my favorite pastors.  Sunday mornings my husband always tunes into the Charles Stanley and Andy Stanley programs on the television before we attend church.

I try to listen to Christian music regularly.   If I’m having a real confidence attack I turn on Toby Mac and listen to it loud! I love listening to anything by a group called Eden’s Bridge.   Take the time to find your favorite songs that are scripturally sound and use them as your 9-1-1 emergency playlist.  When you hit a rough spot, turn on the worship music and begin to sing and praise away those bad feelings.  Worshiping God has a way or creating powerful ripples of peace and hope in our emotions.  Praise begins to lift our spirits and we find encouragement for the day.  Frequently, I hear the Lord speaking through a song in a new way that soothes my spirit and tells me just what I need to hear. 

Some people may need to fast from media for a while in order to regain their peace.  At times, I will stick to only Christian content in my day.   Sometimes, I am not able to handle any negative news or information.  Healing has come so many times by hearing a certain verse of a song or a pastor’s sermon that speaks to me on such a personal level; I know that God has sent a message to comfort me one more time.  Our help comes from the Lord. One of the names for the Holy Spirit is Comforter.

Choosing to refocus our attention on Father God and his relentless love for us is how we can take refuge in our troubled world.  Make the effort to spend time with Him in prayer, praise, and worship.  Remind yourself of other times when He has made a way for you.

You are loved by the Creator of the Universe.  He sings over you and is not mad at you or unsympathetic to your problems.  Turn your cares over to him, again.  

Father God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, you are our very own Abba Father.  When we lift our eyes to you, we know that you are a very present help in times of trouble.  Lord, when we are receiving negativity into our minds and hearts it will eventually begin to take a toll on us.  Let’s face it, the negative and sometimes sinful things we are ingesting  do have an effect on us. They drain our emotional reserves and steal away our joy. The difficult circumstances we may be facing, and the feeling that we are alone, is common to us all.   But we are never alone, we are never abandoned, for you are always with us. Lead us, Lord, to the sure, strong refuge we can find in your faithfulness.  You are our very present help in times of trouble, and we cannot be separated from your love.  May our souls find comfort and peace in your words and the songs of praise we lift to you.  Restore us, Father, in Jesus’s name.

Suggested Song: Good, Good Father, Chris Tomlin

Suggested Groups: Toby Mac and Eden’s Bridge