As I’ve been trying to sort through the thoughts running through my head about leaving in exactly 3 weeks from today, I can’t help but come back to the peace that I’ve felt that can only be from the Lord. A peace in knowing who goes before me. A peace in knowing He is my Shepherd who leads me to still water.
I’ve been learning a lot about what it means to have the Lord as my Shepherd. Louie Giglio explains it like this:
we are like sheep and the Lord is our Shepherd. A shepherd leads its sheep to still water because if it were to find rushing water, it wouldn’t know any better and would fall in and drown because the sheep doesn’t know the weight of its wool. The sheep doesn’t realize that the 30lb of wool on its back will drag it down when it gets wet.
Similarly, sometimes we don’t know the weight of our sin until we’re in too deep and drowning. When we don’t let the Shepherd guide our path, we start giving our attention to the enemy who will eventually lead us to destruction. What you give your attention to will ultimately determine your destination. Where are you going? To still water? Or rushing waves that you can’t escape?
Its so much easier to take the short cut and cheat your way to the top. It makes more sense to worry instead of laying all anxiety at the feet of a God who you can’t see. But we have to lay our worldly desires down and look to Jesus. Don’t drown in the weight of your sin. Don’t let fear cripple you to the point of saying no to God when he tells you to do something. Don’t let anger have a strong hold on you that you can’t forgive that person like Jesus forgave them.
You may not see it now but He’s leading you to still water. Don’t get so caught up in the enemy’s lies that you turn away from God and miss all that He has for you. I’ve certainly been led astray recently by the enemy telling me that I’m not good enough and I’m not prepared enough for this season of life. The world race isn’t for you. There’s too much chaos going on in the world for you to be a missionary right now. You won’t be able to leave your family for that long. I’ve heard it all at this point. As the time gets closer for me to leave the enemy gets louder; yet the peace of God surpasses that. I will probably never be able to explain it but I have an immense amount of faith stepping into this new season in the midst of intense spiritual warfare. Still waters in the midst of chaos.
If the enemy seems loud right now, it’s probably because God’s about to do something great. Keep your eyes on Him so that He can lead you to still water even in the midst of your storm.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalm 23
His love and mine,
Sadie <3
