So often in our lives, we are chasing the busyness of life. It might be school, family life, etc. Then what happens is that God is put as the last priority. These days, believers are making time with God less of a priority.
As sons and daughters of God, we have to be aware of the power that lies in the secret place with God. Scripture encourages us…
“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. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night.” (Psalm 91:1-5)
God wants to have a relationship with his children – a relationship that is more than a weekly church service. He wants a relationship that strengthens and sustains us through every moment and season of our lives. As children of God, we have to make space for our relationship with God to grow – when no one is watching.
There is a level of intimacy between God and man that only exists in the secret place. In the secret place, God works on the inner part of ourselves that needs to be reconciled and restored. He offers a place of refuge for us when we are troubled by life’s circumstances. When we are empty, He fills us until we overflow. There is an importance to having a secret place with God. A place where distractions don’t exist and it is just you and God. The secret place is where we learn more about the character of God. If we don’t know his character, we will not trust His actions and movements.
As children of God, we are meant to be fully grounded in the Lord. When I think of the secret place, I am reminded of the parable of the foolish and wise builder where it says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7: 24-27)
Believers who seek the Lord in the secret place are building their lives on a solid rock. They have an understanding that the only way to remain standing in the fallen world is with the Lord. We need to be intentional about our time with the Lord. We are in the longevity game as far as our lives with the Lord. We are not looking to get through a moment. We want to be still standing years and years down the road. Our time in the secret place with God is the oil that keeps our lamps burning. Oil only comes with intimacy with the Lord. The life of a disciple is to reflect the goodness of God. It starts with our time in secret. So, if you’re reading this and you struggle with spending time with the Lord in secret, you are not too late. We serve a God who is a Father that sticks around. Start with just taking ten minutes of your night praying to God. Start with ten minutes and continuously pursue Him and it will grow more and more. The secret place gives us the power to be who He designed us to be in public.
Tyler Jones is Student Ministry Pastor at Koinonia Church in Hanford, CA. He can be reached at tyler@kchanford.com or 559-582-1528.