Psalm 23: 1-3
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Right away, we see that the Lord is our Shepherd, our Guide, our Helper, the One who knows the way, the One who will keep us safe, gives us what we ‘need’, provides us rest, keeps us spiritually clean, and nourished.
Not only does our wonderful Shepherd, Jesus, beckon us to follow Him each day through the prompting of His Holy Spirit, but He also knows the desires of our hearts and He wants us to trust Him with them and trust Him that He will give us what we need.
Quite often, we want to write our own story, fulfill our own dreams, be on our own missions, but to the Christian, we must ask ourselves, is this in alignment with God’s will and purpose for my life, or am I chasing after my own desires and leaving the trustworthy leading of my Shepherd behind?
How much do I trust Jesus to lead me in the right way?
How much do I ask Him for help to lead me in the right way?
I believe God wants to remind all of us to ask Him for help because He is and wants to be our Shepherd. When you think of being guided and led by someone, the guide is often there because they are more experienced, have more knowledge, are wiser, and are more able to troubleshoot problems or difficulties we may face. Therefore, we trust them and look to them to lead us because they know more about the rough terrain we might be traveling through, the resistance or obstacles we might face, or the roads or shortcuts that seem easier and faster but will lead us astray and get us off track.
The Shepherd will help us make better decisions because He knows what is ahead and what dangers might be on the path we are contemplating.
The Shepherd will not only help keep us from danger, but He knows the way to lead us to see the best views, where the most plentiful resources are, to where we will be safe to rest or frolic and play. The Lord is our Shepherd, the Voice we can learn to trust if we don’t already. He knows that there are many deceiving voices, who will knowingly or unknowingly lead us in the wrong direction. Jesus knows that we are broken people, with broken desires, and He is always right there to help keep us moving in the right direction towards what is best for us and towards His peace and away from what brings us spiritual turmoil. Jesus wants to help guide us through our day-to-day and build a relationship with us that is like none other😊
He will lead us to and on the right pathway. He is not deceiving, not a shifting shadow, or fickle. He always wants what is best for us according to the incredible plan and purpose He has for us. He is our Creator and no One loves us, sees us, or understands us more than Him. He is our greatest Comforter, Counselor, Restorer, Helper, and Provider (and so much more). There is no One like Him who knows us, and who will always lead us in the right direction by His Peace. Colossians 3:15 (AMP) says: "Let the peace of Christ (the inner calm of the one who walks daily with Him) be the controlling factor in your hearts (deciding and settling questions that arise). To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body (of believers). And be thankful (to God always).
When we follow our Shepherd, closely, asking and waiting for His leading, sometimes it might feel that His way causes us pain. Perhaps He is leading us away from certain people who He knows are not good for us, perhaps He is challenging us to say no to an old coping mechanism that is harmful rather than helpful, perhaps, He is challenging us to make more time for Him and put away our devices and choose Him over binging our newest show. Even though this might feel hard or painful at the time, He wants us to know that He will help us through it, if we just ask Him.
Romans 12:1-3 (NIV) says: Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will”.
When we follow our Shepherd, attentively waiting for His leading, offering our bodies as living sacrifices, and trusting Him by being willing to say yes! And do the hard thing, He can lead us to the greatest restful pastures, cleansing waters, and heart's desires we didn't even know existed. He wants better for us than we could even imagine!
The wonderful thing is, He wants to help us and He wants us to be willing participants.
What do you need help with today?
Are there difficult people you might be facing?
Are there responsibilities you need to get done, but don’t know where to start?
Is today the start of something new and you are nervous and fearful?
Take a moment and tell Jesus what you are feeling and ask Him for His help for today.
Then perhaps grab your journal and pen, read through the entirety of Pslam 23, and ask the Lord what He would like to show you and teach you today through His word.
Encouragement for Your Day!
Sometimes we might feel like we should be able to do this on our own, or we might ask "Why does it seem like everyone else has it all together?" I have good news for you, nobody does, and we all need Jesus! There is actually more good news. Jesus knows how hard even the most simple tasks can be sometimes when we are exhausted, feeling hurt, overworked, and perhaps feeling under-appreciated. When we feel like everything is piling up against us and we have nowhere to go or no one to turn to! Well, guess what! We can always turn to Jesus! He knows our heart and wants us to tell Him all about it. He wants to help us and we are never too much for Him and never not good enough for Him. He created us and He loves us.
Be encouraged, God loves to help you, and you are never a waste of His time!
Prayer for Your Day!
Dear Lord, thank you for always being here for me even when I don't see it or know it.
Please forgive me for all the times I forget to ask You for your guidance or for Your help and go my own way.
Please help me to remember I can rely on You throughout each day and I can always ask You for help. Nothing is too big or too small.
Thank You that You are my Shepherd and You choose to lead and guide me because You love me and always want the best for me.
Lord, I surrender my day to You today and I ask that You help me in all the ways and areas I don't even know I need help. Help me to surrender my will to Yours and help to strengthen me. Thank you that 2 Corinthians 12:9 says: "My grace is sufficient for You, for My power is made perfect in weakness". Lord, I thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me and that Your power is made perfect in my weakness today. Please help guide my decisions, my words, and actions today. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses to Meditate on Today to Fill Your Cup!
Psalm 23: 1-3
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
1 John 4:19: We love because He first loved us.
Psalm 139:14: I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made
Pslam 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble
John 3:16: For God so loved the whole world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life
Reflective Questions...
In what ways do I want to grow this week in asking the Lord for help?
Are there areas in my life where I am good at asking the Lord for help?
Are there areas where for some reason I struggle and forget that I can ask the Lord for help?
What areas might the Lord be wanting to help me in?
What are a couple small things I can do to help remind me to ask God for help? (put a post it not on my computer, make reading Psalm 23 part of my routine this week, talk this over with a friend and help hold one another accountable in this area)
How do I make room in my life for God to help me?
Going Deeper...
On your next break, perhaps grab your journal and pen, read through the entirety of Pslam 23, and ask the Lord what He would like to show you and teach you today through His word.
Make some notes and ask yourself how you might be able to apply to your day what He is showing you.
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