Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him. If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling.
— Psalm 91:1-2, 9-10
Before I entered the ministry and even before I started my consulting practice, I held a high level management position in a major corporation. The job was incredibly stressful, so much so that I would occasionally suffer panic attacks. I learned later that people having panic attacks experience a type of “fight or flight” response, the same physical symptoms as someone in immediate physical danger. Once this response kicks in, we tend to perceive everything around us as a potential safety threat. When this happened, I would always retreat to my office and read Psalm 91. I was not very Bible literate at the time, but reading this Psalm always took me to a “secret place” with God when I found myself paralyzed with fear. I learned I could go to Him for protection and trade my fear for peace. Regardless of how crazy things got, I could rest in Him and trust Him to keep me safe. As a reminder of God’s protection for me and all who enter my home, these verses are beautifully framed on the wall in my entry way.
The author of Psalm 91 refers to my secret place as “the shadow,” “my refuge,” “my place of safety,” “shelter” and 
“dwelling.” Other Psalmists like those below describe my secret place as “my hiding place,” “shadow of your wings,” “shelter of your wings,” a “fortress,” and “sanctuary:”
• For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory (Psalm 32:7).
• How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7).
• The LORD saves the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble. The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him (Psalm 37:39-40).
• Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this violent storm is past (Psalm 57:1).
• 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 61:2-4)!
David directly refers to being hidden “in the secret place of your presence” and being kept “secretly in a pavilion” (Psalm 31:20, NKJV). Jesus came to make the secret place of God’s presence accessible to everyone who believes. He made it clear when he announced that “the Kingdom of God is near” (Mark 1:15)! The long awaited Messiah had come to break the power of sin and begin God’s reign on earth. He came to bring the Good News of the Kingdom by teaching, preaching, and healing people of every kind of disease and sickness (Mark 4:23). The Kingdom is not just a future place, but a realm of power today. In this secret place, under God’s divine rule and reign, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, there is freedom, hope, peaceful living, abundant life, and eternal joy.
Yes, there is still evil in the world. Jesus said we will have many trials and sorrows on earth, but to take heart, because He has overcome the world. We can have peace in Him (John 16:33). Until He returns, He gave us the Holy Spirit as foretaste future glory—a time when God will completely free the world of all sin, sickness, and evil (Romans 8:19-23). In the meantime, God is with us. We can hide in His presence until the violent storms pass. He promises shelter for the oppressed and refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9).
In Scripture often read at funerals, Jesus tells His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled because He is going to
prepare a place for them (John 14:1-2). Just as He has prepared an eternal place for you in Heaven, He has prepared a special place for you right here on earth. In His presence, you will find protection from harm, rest for your soul, and the courage to face your fears. The next time trouble sends you into a panic, trade all your fears for a supernatural peace that surpasses human understanding. Make the Most High your shelter, and no evil will conquer you. Meet Him in the secret place.
Father, thank you for the promise of your presence. Please protect me in your secret place when trouble threatens to come. Keep me safe beneath the shadow of your wings. Amen.
Excerpted from Peace For Each Hour by Mary J. Nelson; Copyright © 2013; ISBN 978-1938388170; Published by Comfort Publishers; Unauthorized duplication prohibited.