“1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
Have you ever had a dry season? I’m sure you could say yes! There are days you feel like your not even a hunter any more. A season or two may pass by and you return from the field unsuccessful. Whether a deer, turkey, small game, or big game hunter, it gets frustrating! It can even take a toll on you mentally, if you really like to hunt. Now go to that feeling when you finally break the streak! You are renewed when that big o’l groundhog hits the dirt or even a big fat doe for the freezer. It feels good, doesn’t it! Its like you turn into a new person filled with joy because success has returned! Do you know the Christian walk is similar sometimes? There are tough days! There are days you don’t even feel like a Christian because the trials become so heavy, you cant figure out where God is at! Don’t be discouraged, God knows right where you are at! He is testing you! Look at what He says to the children of Israel after they make it through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Deuteronomy 8:2 “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.” The Christian walk can really have dark days, but know that God is just seeing how much you really trust Him. Its easy to trust Him on a mountain top, but are you trusting Him in the valley? Why does Psalm tell us that the Lord is an unwanted shepherd? Its because He leads us through places that we don’t feel comfortable! Its down a path that we don’t necessarily choose for ourselves. Maybe lately its felt dark to you. How can you answer this question? Are you trusting Him in your valley? Psalm 23 is such a familiar and refreshing Psalm. Give special attention to verse 3, the Bible says, “He restoreth my soul…” God loves you! He will never leave you or forsake you! He may chasten you so you will turn from your sin, but its because He wants whats best for his children. Are you seeking Him today with all you can? There is always restoration in Jesus Christ, but you must lean on Him and trust Him through your journey. Having a dry spell with no success can be very frustrating, but when the success returns, its a great feeling! Again, God know right where you are at! Look at Matthew 14:32 “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.” The disciples have just went through a difficult storm. They, along with Peter nearly sink because they took their eyes off of Jesus during the storm. Jesus even condemns Peter for not having faith through the difficult situation. Regardless of their response, there was still a calm that took place! Their souls were restored when the storm was ended, and the Bible says, they worshiped Him because of His greatness! Stick with it! God will restore you! He loves you and is doing what is best for you! Are you trusting Him?
Memory Verse Week 6/29/20
Psalm 23:3
“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
