Where do you hide?

Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself. Psalm 16:1 AMP

When things go 'wrong' in your life, or not as you had planned, where you do hide? Do you physically hide by isolating yourself from people so your vulnerability is not visible? Do you hide in a constant busy-ness, not giving your self the opportunity to sit and think about what is going on in your life? Do you hide by means of escaping reality through other distractions such as materialism, the use of legal and illegal drugs? There are many ways we can hide and many places we can hide. Here are some definition of 'hide' (from Thefreedictionary.com)

1. To put or keep out of sight or away from notice

2. To prevent the disclosure or recognition of; conceal

3. To cut off from sight; cover up

4. To avert (one's gaze), especially in shame or grief.

One of my favourite ways to hide is through isolation. I can justify my hiding by telling myself I am spending time with God. And often that is true, I am spending much loved time with God. But other times I am choosing to be by myself as I don't want to put myself out in that place of being vulnerable and sharing my life. I don't want to experience the gamete of emotions that comes with relationships. I just want to hide.

But we cannot hide from life and we cannot hide from God.

Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. Jeremiah 23:24 AMP

God knows where we are. He knows how we try to hide, physically, emotionally and spiritually. God wants us to hide with Him so He can help us face things in our lives, rather than hide from them.

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5 AMP

When we allow God to hide us in His shelter, He sets us upon a rock. But is it not just any rock, it is a rock on which we can stand with strength, with salvation and redemption. 

The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower. Psalm 18:2 AMP

Questions for today, where (or how) are you choosing to hide? Are you hiding from God or with God? Sometimes the difference between hiding 'from' and 'with' can be very subtle. To get discernment on where we are at, we need to once again come into His presence with an open heart and let Him speak to us about where we are hiding, or what we are hiding from. I encourage you to do this today. God is inclining His ear to you.

I have called upon You, O God, for You will hear me; incline Your ear to me and hear my speech. Show Your marvellous loving-kindness, O You Who save by Your right hand those who trust and take refuge in You from those who rise up against them. Keep and guard me as the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 17:6-8 AMP