Making Peace with My City of Refuge

Numbers 35:28
“Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.”

As God established the boundaries of the Promised Land, one thing that was important to Him was that there was a place where someone could flee to who had accidentally taken the life of another. This city to which they were to flee was called the city of refuge. This city was the place the slayer could flee to and be safe from the revenger of blood. As long as they stayed within the city they were safe, but the moment they left the boundaries of that city they were no longer protected from the revenger who wanted to kill them.

The truth that is often missed about the person who had to flee to the city of refuge is that they simply had a bad thing happen in their life over which they had no control. This person didn’t choose to accidentally slay someone, but it happened. The life of this person was forever changed by no wrong of their own. They didn’t ask to be moved from their inherited land. They didn’t ask for their life to be turned upside down. Certainly, this person must have wondered why this happened to them. However much they questioned what life had brought their way, they were only safe as long as they dwelled in their city of refuge. In other words, they had to come to peace with their city of refuge and make something out of their life from that city.

Do you find yourself living in a city of refuge? What I mean by this statement is, have things happened in your life that were not of your own choosing, and by no wrong of your own? Has your life been turned upside down undeservedly? My friend, you are going to have to come to peace with your city of refuge. Let me give you some thoughts on how to come to peace with your city of refuge.

First, stop living in what could have been. The more you live in the past of what could have been, the more you are missing out on what you can be for God. You have to move on if you want to make the most of your life. Anybody can rethink how they could have handled situations in the past, but hindsight is 20/20. Wishing you could go back to change something in the past that could have allowed you to be where you always wanted to be will not change your present plight. You must move on from what could have been and accept where life has brought you to in the now.

Second, don’t refuse the comfort of your city of refuge. Jacob made his problems of life his identity because “he refused to be comforted.” Making your city of refuge your identity is only revealing your bitterness towards God for not intervening to stop the life-changing situation from happening. If you refuse to live in your city of refuge, your revenger of life will rob you of life and God’s blessings. At some point, you must accept the comfort found in Christ by accepting the city of refuge to where life has brought you.

Third, let God do something great through you in your city of refuge. You may have to live in your city of refuge for the rest of your life. So, instead of sitting and sulking, take what you have and make the most of it to help others. The greatest days of your life are ahead if you choose to let God use your city of refuge to do something great through you. Your city of refuge can be the miracle tool God can use to do the greatest work through your life if you allow it.