Psalm 61:2-4
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For thou has been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings.  Selah.

We all need someone higher than us.  David was king—the leader, the ruler, the boss.  But still he recognized his need for God.  Because no matter who we are, there come those times in life where our hearts get overwhelmed, when our troubles keep adding up and threaten to drown us, when danger is near and we need help and protection.  We need someone to turn to.  We need a safe place to go.  David understood, whether he was in a pasture with his sheep or sitting on a throne, that he needed to be near to God, and he found all he needed in Him.

Our hearts can be overwhelmed by many things—the cares of this life, struggles, turmoil, and sorrow.  But instead of being overwhelmed by the world, by our troubles, and by our circumstances, we should be overwhelmed by God.  We need God to look to because we can’t manage on our own.  We needed Him to save us.  We need Him to provide for us.  We need His help, His strength, His wisdom, His mercy.  We need Him near to us when nothing else can fill that hole or soothe that ache or guide us to the right path.

We can always cry out to God from wherever we may end up.  We can trust Him no matter what is happening to us or around us.  When it all seems like too much to bear, God will be there for us and lead us to a place where can stand again and have something solid beneath our feet.  When we’re sinking, He’ll lift us higher.  We will be safe in His presence, under His protection, surrounded by His strength.

There is somewhere to go when we get to those overwhelming places in life.  We don’t have to get to that rock on our own, but God will pull us to safety.  So are we choosing to stay near to God and to draw near to Him in those times of trouble?  Are we willing to depend on Him when we just can’t make it on our own?  Are we humble enough to recognize how much we need someone bigger, stronger, higher, wiser, and more able than us?  May we simply be willing to trust God to be our rock, our shelter, and our safe place in the storms of life.