God, My Fortress

A Reflection on the Psalm for March 16th, 2025:
Second Sunday of Lent

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Psalm 27

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek.

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

​R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

I spent the better part of my life losing control of my mind, which often felt like being forced onto a rollercoaster ride of twisting and turning emotions. The highs were great, of course, because that’s when I could live in a fortress made from my overinflated ego. Inside this place, nothing could touch me, and nothing could shake me. Best of all, I didn’t need anyone. 

But when the signs of an impending descent appeared, that’s when the panic would set in. The rapid flow of creative ideas that once kept me thoroughly entertained would begin to fizzle out. Colours slowly lost their vibrancy, sounds became muffled, and the boundless energy that fueled my days vanished. When the ride finally hit its lowest point, the unstoppable girl was replaced by one who wasn’t so sure of herself – or even her life. Each time I reached this place I broke new personal records for the bottom. My reward was a growing sense of emptiness and despair. The only relief I could find was in believing the lie that peace, joy, and stability were simply not meant for someone like me. Accepting this twisted fate made the pain slightly more bearable, but not by much.

Yet, even in my darkest days, I could always sense a glimmer of light, a sliver of hope that gave me just enough strength to keep trudging forward. I didn’t know it was God at the time but, somehow, I did believe that the madness I was experiencing would eventually come to an end. It wasn’t until I hit my true rock bottom that I finally called out to Him for help. 

I didn’t so much find Him as He revealed Himself to me. He had been there all along, waiting for me to turn to Him. I hadn’t given much thought to God during that chaotic phase of my life – but now I can see that His eyes never left me. He did not forsake me, and He never will.  

Life is still a rollercoaster, and in some ways the hard times have become more difficult. The best part is that now I am not alone. My fortress is no longer built from fleeting feelings but from the eternal strength of the One who never leaves me. He is my North Star and my anchor, unshaken by the storms of my emotions.

“The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” This is the creed of a truly unstoppable woman.


Vanessa Noujaim​

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