Living in the Secret Place: The Pursuit of God's Presence

There's a place where struggles don't disappear, but where we handle them with supernatural grace. A place where decisions flow from divine wisdom rather than human reasoning. A place where our greatest fulfillment awaits—not in achievements or possessions, but in the very presence of God Himself.
This isn't just a poetic idea or a spiritual fantasy. It's the original design for human existence, and it's available to every believer today.

The Original Blueprint

Before sin entered the world, humanity had one primary purpose: fellowship with God. Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden—a word that literally means "the presence of God." His job wasn't to toil and struggle, but simply to "keep" the garden—to maintain his position in God's presence and guard against the enemy who had already been cast down.
Everything Adam needed was provided. His work wasn't burdensome. His relationship with the Creator was intimate and unbroken. He walked with God in the cool of the day, experiencing perfect communion with his Maker.
When Adam sinned, he lost that place of dwelling in God's presence. But here's the glorious truth: Jesus restored everything that was lost in the garden. Right now, in the spiritual realm, the same access Adam enjoyed is available to us. We don't have to work by the sweat of our brow to earn God's favor. We get to walk with Him, talk with Him, and live in His presence continually.

More Than a Sunday Visit

Psalm 91:1 declares, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Notice the word "dwells"—it signifies habitation, a place where we actually live, not just visit occasionally.
Too many believers treat God's presence like a vacation destination—somewhere nice to visit on Sundays or during crisis moments. But God is calling us to something far greater: to make His presence our permanent address.
David understood this. Despite his failures—adultery, murder, rebellion—God called him "a man after My own heart." Why? Because David's deepest desire was captured in Psalm 27:4: "One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple."
One thing. Not many things. Not a long list of spiritual goals. Just one insistent requirement: to live continuously in God's presence.

The Consciousness That Changes Everything

Imagine living with a constant awareness that God is with you—not just theologically, but experientially. How would that change your conversations? Your choices? The places you go and the things you do?
Psalm 139:7-10 reminds us that God is omnipresent—everywhere, all the time. Our daily life is already spent in His presence, whether we acknowledge it or not. But there's a profound difference between God being present and us being consciously aware of His presence.
When we cultivate this awareness, everything shifts. We don't speak what's in our heads; we speak what's in our hearts—and if God's presence fills our hearts, His words flow through us. We don't retaliate when wronged. We don't compromise when tempted. We don't panic when circumstances seem overwhelming.
Living with this consciousness of God's presence becomes the internal compass that guides every decision, every reaction, every relationship.

The Vital Necessity

God Himself extends the invitation: "Seek My face. Inquire for and require My presence as your vital need."
Notice that word—vital. Not important. Not beneficial. Vital. As is necessary for life itself.
We have many desires and needs in this life. Better jobs, financial security, comfortable homes, healthy relationships—these matter. But they aren't vital. You can survive without them. What you cannot survive without—not spiritually—is the presence of God.
Jeremiah 29:13 promises, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Not half-heartedly. Not when it's convenient. With all your heart—with complete devotion, unwavering focus, and relentless pursuit.

The Priority Problem

Here's where many believers stumble: they've confused roles with purpose. Your role as a spouse, parent, employee, or church member is important—but it's not your purpose. Your purpose is fellowship with God. Out of that primary relationship, all your roles flow with grace and effectiveness.

God has established a divine priority list:

1. God
2. Spouse
3. Children/Family
4. Church
5. Job/Career

Most Christians have this list scrambled. They put family above God. They put career above everything. They give God their leftovers—the exhausted remnants of their time and energy after everything else has been satisfied.
But Jesus made it crystal clear in Matthew 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
First. Not second. Not eventually. First.
He didn't say we shouldn't care about provisions, clothing, or daily needs. He said don't make those things your primary pursuit. Don't worry about them. Don't let anxiety over them consume your thoughts. Your Heavenly Father knows you need them, and when you seek Him first, He adds everything else you need.
The difference between Christians who seem blessed effortlessly and those who struggle constantly often comes down to priorities. When God is truly first, His presence guides, protects, and provides in ways that eliminate so much unnecessary striving.

The Invitation Still Stands

No matter where you are in your walk with God today—whether you've been distant or devoted, struggling or succeeding—the invitation remains: "Come up higher. Dwell in My presence."
God isn't demanding perfection. He's offering a relationship. He's not looking for religious performance. He's pursuing intimate fellowship with you—the kind of communion He designed you for from the very beginning.
There's a place inside you that only God can fill. You may have tried filling it with achievements, relationships, possessions, or pleasures, but nothing else fits. That void was custom-made for His presence alone.
The time has come to return to our first love. To make pursuing God's presence the one thing we insistently require. To align our priorities with His. To live not just as hearers of the Word, but as doers who allow God's truth to transform every area of life.
The secret place is calling. Will you make it your dwelling place?