What Are You Haunted By?

Devotional Credit: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit: Unsplash

Oswald Chambers invites us to consider what truly occupies our inner attention. We may say we’re not haunted by anything, but in reality, we’re often preoccupied with ourselves—our fears, regrets, achievements, or spiritual highs and lows. Chambers challenges us to shift our focus entirely onto the presence of God, letting Him be the central consciousness of our lives.

He likens this to how a child instinctively seeks their mother in distress. In the same way, our default response in every circumstance should be to turn to the Lord, not merely with conscious effort, but from a deeper place of trust and intimacy. This kind of God-consciousness isn’t anxiety-driven but peace-filled.

When the Lord is our ever-present refuge, no room remains for worry or fear. We rob ourselves when we live distracted lives. But when we are hidden with Christ in God, we find that our souls dwell at ease—even in slander, confusion, or hardship—because He becomes our unshakable shelter.

✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

I have not called you to manage life on your own. I have drawn you into Myself—not merely to be beside you, but to be your dwelling place. I am your refuge, not your visitor. I surround you, fill you, uphold you. I am the atmosphere of your soul.

Let Me be the first thought when you wake, the instinctual refuge when trials rise, and the silent Presence shaping your responses throughout the day. To be haunted by Me is not to live in fear, but to live in nearness—to breathe the awareness of My companionship.

Your life is now hidden with Christ in Me. Let this hiddenness become your default posture. Worries will try to intrude, but they cannot withstand the awareness of My love. Distractions will attempt to scatter your mind, but I bring quiet to your spirit. When others misunderstand you, I remain your understanding. When troubles surround you, I surround the troubles.

You were not made to live fragmented or anxious. I am the peace within the storm, the whisper that steadies the trembling heart. Fix your attention on Me—not by striving, but by resting. I am already here. You are already Mine.

Scriptures referenced: Psalm 25:12–13; Psalm 46:1; Colossians 3:3; Acts 17:28; Matthew 6:25–34

🧺 Real-Life Analogy

It’s like waking up in a home where the scent of fresh coffee is already filling the air. You didn’t make it, you didn’t summon it—it just surrounds you. That comforting aroma becomes the background of your morning. So it is with God’s presence. When your heart awakens to Him, you find He’s been here all along—filling your atmosphere with peace.

🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence

Father, I thank You that I live and move and have my being in You. You are not distant or delayed—you are my shelter, my center, my constant awareness. I rejoice that I don’t have to manufacture Your presence or protect myself from life’s burdens. You surround me. You steady me. You fill me. In Christ, I am safe, secure, and settled. I delight in Your nearness and rest in the ease of Your companionship.