There is a part of our life with God that no one else sees—a quiet, hidden place where faith is formed long before it’s expressed outwardly. Psalm 91 opens by drawing our attention not to what we do publicly, but to where we choose to dwell privately.
Where life with God truly begins
The psalmist begins with a powerful phrase: “He who dwells in the secret place.” This isn’t about visiting God occasionally or stopping by when life feels overwhelming. Dwelling means remaining, staying, making a home. The secret place isn’t somewhere we pass through—it’s where life with God is meant to flow from.
So often we focus on what others can see: our words, our actions, our appearance. But Scripture reminds us that when the secret places of our lives are beautiful, the outward life begins to take care of itself.
Making the unseen places sacred
The secret place touches every part of who we are—our thoughts, our habits, our prayer life, and how we treat those closest to us. These are the spaces no one else is invited into. Not friends. Not family. Just us and God.
When we allow God to inhabit those places, they become places of life instead of places of strain. The secret place becomes the center, not the escape. Everything else flows out of that shared life with Him.
Living under His shadow
Psalm 91 promises that those who dwell in the secret place will abide under the shadow of the Almighty. It’s a picture of covering and protection—like stepping into the shade on a scorching day and feeling immediate relief.
When the secret place becomes our habitation, we position ourselves under God’s covering. He becomes our refuge and our fortress, not just in theory, but in lived experience. Strength, trust, and rest are built there.
Staying when life presses in
Life can feel heavy. The pressures of the world and the resistance of the enemy can wear us down. One of the greatest strategies of the enemy is not always direct attack, but distraction—pulling us out of the secret place where we are protected.
But there is something powerful about enduring life’s struggles while remaining under God’s shadow. Taking the hits from within His covering is far different than trying to withstand them on our own. The secret place keeps us anchored, protected, and sustained.
A place worth dwelling
God invites us not to visit the secret place, but to live there. To make it our home. To let trust, refuge, and strength grow quietly in His presence.
It is there—hidden, unseen, and sacred—that faith is formed and life is shaped.
