Devotionals for the Heart: God is our refuge and strength in every storm

Finding Refuge When the Storm Won’t Stop
A devotional by Terry Overton

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”—Psalm 91:1-2 (ESV)

The pounding of my heart was fierce as the dream shook me in the darkest of dark hours of night. The story stayed with me throughout the day.

A storm sweeping across the land—destroying everything in its path. The storm in my dream lingered long after waking. I saw myself, running from house to house, seeking safety, but there was no escape. The winds howled louder, and fear increased. Yet even in that darkness, a message was placed on my heart: this is not a dream of doom. It is a divine reminder that our safety is not in the house we choose but in the God who holds us steady.

In Scripture, storms often serve as the backdrop for divine encounters. When the disciples of Jesus Christ feared the waves might swallow them as they teetered in the boat, Jesus was asleep (Mark 4:38). They cried out in desperation, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39). The storm obeyed, and the disciples learned a truth that every believer must face—peace is not found in calm weather but in Christ’s presence.

Sometimes the storms in our lives—illness, loss, grief, conflict, uncertainty—feel so fierce that we can’t find our footing. We try to outrun the pain, moving from one “house” to another: one plan, one distraction, one intervention, one new place to hide. Yet the wind finds us wherever we go. That’s because storms of the soul are not meant to destroy us—they are intended to draw us closer to the only shelter that cannot be shaken.

Psalm 91:1 (ESV) promises us, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” The word dwelling means staying—not running, not moving from place to place, but resting. It means letting go of the illusion of control and allowing God to be the refuge instead of trying to build one ourselves. The dream of moving from house to house is a picture of what we often do in real life: We look for safety in our own strength, forgetting that the safest place in any storm is right in the center of God’s will.

When you feel like there’s no escape, remember this truth: God’s presence is not limited by walls or locations. You can’t outrun His love, and you don’t need to. The storm may rage, but He walks upon it. He speaks through it. He stands between you and the destruction. What feels like a moment of terror may be an invitation to surrender—to stop moving and let the Almighty fight on your behalf.

God promises us this in Isaiah 43:2 (ESV), “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

You are not meant to escape the storm—you are meant to endure it through grace. Where was Jesus in the storm on the sea? He was in the boat. Where did God say He would be in the waters? With us. When everything shakes, and the winds threaten to undo what you’ve built or what you think you have in life, cling to the Rock that cannot be moved. Let His peace silence your fears.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, my heart may cry in this storm because I try to control what only You can. Help me to remember to lay my fear at Your feet. Help my heart to understand that during the storm, my soul is in Your hands. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “When You Walk Through the Water” by Allison Durham. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “God is Our Refuge and Strength | Psalm 46:1” by Timothy Tye. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Sometimes He Calms the Storm” by Scott Krippayne. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. 

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.

Terry lives in Texas and enjoys reading, taking pictures for devotional posts on social media, visiting with her family, playing golf, and writing.

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Connect with Terry:
Website: https://www.authorterryoverton.com
Blog: https://terryovertonbooks.com
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/overtont