Casandra Martin

“O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to You for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for You are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of Your wings.” – Psalm 61:1-4

These words speak to me in a special way today. They echo the cry of a heart that is struggling, fighting for hope, pressed hard by circumstances, and overwhelmed. Been there? There now? Too many times overwhelmed is the address of my heart. Stressed, exhausted, empty, and fearful become the markers of my soul.

David’s advice? Hunker down and pray.

Hunker down is a phrase that means “to settle in or dig in for a good long wait.” It is a good phrase and good advice. When our hearts are overwhelmed, David reminds us that the best place to be is settled in God’s presence. He is our refuge. He is our towering rock of safety. He calls us into the fortress of His faithfulness and invites us to take up residence there, to make ourselves at home, to dig in and dig deeply into grace.

From within the towering rock of safety, our perspective changes. His power, His timing, His goodness, and His glory give my heart new eyes. When we hunker down in His fortress, our position changes. Settled into His presence, our enemies cannot reach us. The enemies of worry, doubt, anxiety, fear, and disquiet are forced to stay outside the boundaries of His love. When we hide ourselves in Him, our priorities change. When we are overwhelmed our eyes are everywhere but on Him. Surrounded by His presence, our first, best choice is to let ourselves be loved.

My Jesus Resolution today is to follow David’s advice. When the storm rages, when the struggles press in, when the disappointments knock, when the rug is being pulled out from under me, God calls me to imagine myself safe in the shelter of His wings. No need to be frantic. No need to panic. Just rest in His presence. Breathe. Trust. Wait. Hunker down and pray.