The Secret Place
A Psalm 91 Story
by Kierstin Almstrum
The trodden path ahead leads to a familiar and beloved place. In reminiscence, I clearly trace my footsteps, remembering the times I’ve traveled to this secluded location. A few more feet and I’ll reach my destination. I indulge the crisp mountain air, basking in the beauty of the morning. The sun has yet to peek over the mountain, but I find the moments before dawn strangely comforting. The leaves crunch firmly beneath my feet. A nostalgic warmth overcomes me as I inch forward to the uneven stone steps. The cascading presence of a rustic, single-room cabin bellows in front of me. The place where the brook meets the meadow and all my cares are swept away, my secret place.
I wander through the creaky wooden door, and my gaze instantly meets his—Jesus. Looking in his eyes, I see he knows the burdens I’ve been carrying, the pain I’m experiencing. Yet his loving-kindness encircles the room. He doesn’t rush me. He waits for me to come forward and release them at his feet, allowing me to take the time I need. Speaking words of lament, tears streaming down my face, I stumble a bit as I present my words as an offering, casting them off. He listens intently, receiving them, and the heaviness departs. I kneel before him, relishing in the glory of his presence. This is why I continually come to the secret place.
I can enter with my messiest self—hair undone, eyes swollen with sleeplessness, unpolished face, and the earnest yearning to sit in his presence. On some days, I come with my tear-stained journal pages and present them at his feet. He repurposes them. With grace and gentleness, he receives my heart’s cries. We weep together, and he holds me close. Occasionally, we dance like no one is watching, sing at the top of our lungs, and shout for joy in moments of triumph and victory. There are times we sit and breathe deeply, no words exchanged, and slowly, he heals my broken spirit. When I call his name, I know with certainty he will meet me in the secret place.
Jesus inhabits us when we choose to call on him out of a sincere and contrite heart. His word says, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. . . . He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection” (Psalm 91:1–2, 4).
When I call his name, I know with certainty he will meet me in the secret place.
Abiding in his presence doesn’t make us immune to pain, suffering, loss, and heartache (see John 16:33). But he gives us a place to run for refuge so we don’t have to face anything in our own strength. That’s a different kind of protection, a divine covering. The fiery arrows of life’s troubles may be hurled at us, but we are eternally shielded by his embrace. Jesus offers the promise of his presence in his very name, Immanuel, God with us. To those who love him, he vows to give rescue, protection, an answer when we call, his presence in trouble, and deliverance (see Psalm 91:14–16), as well as the honor of being his daughters.
As his daughters, we have all been given access to the secret place. Jesus meets us here because we have chosen to meet with him, offering him the sacrifice of our praise, adoration, and devotion. Come as you are; bring what you have. Make space for him. Like the widow who brought an offering of two coins, everything she had (see Mark 12:41–44), the woman who broke the bottle of priceless perfume on Jesus’s feet (see Mark 14:3–9), or Mary, who gave Jesus her undistracted devotion (see Luke 10:38–42), we have the opportunity to make him the object of our affection. Reflect on what you have to give: your time, your attention, your wordless cries of lament, your joyful expression of praise. He reveals himself in the places we invite him. As a result, when we speak his name, we are given the awareness of his holy presence.
Abiding in his presence doesn’t make us immune to pain, but he gives us a place of refuge so we don’t face anything in our own strength.
As I rise from nestling at his feet, a sudden peace swells inside me. I feel rested, whole. The burdens I bore now feel weightless. In the sacredness of this moment, he has conquered them. Even though something dark and insidious continually transpires outside these walls, his presence eternally protects me. He is my defender in battles I will never have to fight. No words of gratitude are sufficient. Instead I give him my warmest smile, turn, and stroll toward the door. “I’ll see you soon,” I promise. With one last look, I know with full confidence, nothing will stop me from returning to the secret place.
Kierstin Almstrum is a writer, ministry leader, and counselor who seeks to present the truth with grace and empathy. @theelegant_butterfly
All Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation of the Bible.
*Photo by Alexander Mass