“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid” – Psalm 27:1
There is an old tradition that people used to have in the cowboy days it was called “circle the wagons” Some classic western movies depict a wagon train of pioneers drawing their wagons into a circle, especially at night, to protect against attack and to keep livestock fenced in. By circling the wagons, pioneers forged a stronghold with what they had.
A stronghold is a strong place, a defense, or a fortress. A stronghold defends whatever resides within. We all have strongholds in our lives – positive and negative. Usually, negative strongholds rise in our hearts as a defense against the hurts we have experienced, such as isolation, anger, worry, or regret. We build up strongholds around our hearts hoping not to repeat past hurts.
I lived many years believing I was alone in the world and couldn’t depend on anyone but myself. If someone tried to help me, I would lash out because my stronghold was the wall of protection I put around myself so I wouldn’t be hurt ever again. The result was pushing people away to avoid potential pain.
But as God’s child, He wants to be our stronghold (Psalm 27:1). He wants to protect us, shield us, and give us the confidence only He can provide. We can allow Him to be that positive stronghold by spending time in His Word, experiencing His faithfulness as we trust Him, spending time in His presence, in prayer, and in worship.
From Pity to Praise 