It's Complicated(S1) : WK 1 - TUE
(Psalm 23:3)
3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalm 23:3
I can’t read the first few words of Psalm 23:3, without thinking of another famous passage from the prophet Isaiah…
“31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT)
God, our shepherd, not only seeks to protect us, but he renews our strength as we trust in Him. In the context of today’s verse, this happens in part as we trust in His leading which often brings honor back to Him.
Reminds me of something Jesus said in his sermon on the mount about how we are called to be a blessing to others, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16, NLT). Our good deeds are not to draw attention to us, but rather to God. We are more drawn to love others, care for others, protect others, because we are aware of how God, the good Shepherd, has done these things for us.
When I think about how God guides us in life, I often think about those bumpers bowling alleys use to help new bowlers (often kids, and people like me) not roll into the gutter every time they roll their ball down the alley. If you went into the gutter every time, you’d likely give up on bowling pretty quickly. However, as you learn and gain confidence, sooner or later you’re able to bowl without the bumpers like learning to ride a bike without training wheels. I believe God, as the good shepherd and faithful Father, wants us to succeed and as we submit to him, he guides us along life’s paths. Tomorrow, we’ll see He even has tools to help. However, this doesn’t mean that if we submit to God we’ll never face hardships or steer off path. You see, it’s complicated. Life seems like a constant struggle between what God wants for our lives, and what we want, then, there’s just the unpredictable circumstances of living in a fallen world.
Thankfully, God never gives up on us, even when we give up on ourselves. He’s always ready to help steer us back to a path that leads us back to him, the one we were created by and for.
So if you feel like you’ve been doing all the right things, but life continues to knock you down time and time again, try not to give up. It doesn’t mean God has abandoned you, or is upset with you. It means, no matter what we do, life can be hard. Learning to continually come back to God and the community he calls us to participate in, is what helps us on that right path.
3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalm 23:3
I can’t read the first few words of Psalm 23:3, without thinking of another famous passage from the prophet Isaiah…
“31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT)
God, our shepherd, not only seeks to protect us, but he renews our strength as we trust in Him. In the context of today’s verse, this happens in part as we trust in His leading which often brings honor back to Him.
Reminds me of something Jesus said in his sermon on the mount about how we are called to be a blessing to others, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16, NLT). Our good deeds are not to draw attention to us, but rather to God. We are more drawn to love others, care for others, protect others, because we are aware of how God, the good Shepherd, has done these things for us.
When I think about how God guides us in life, I often think about those bumpers bowling alleys use to help new bowlers (often kids, and people like me) not roll into the gutter every time they roll their ball down the alley. If you went into the gutter every time, you’d likely give up on bowling pretty quickly. However, as you learn and gain confidence, sooner or later you’re able to bowl without the bumpers like learning to ride a bike without training wheels. I believe God, as the good shepherd and faithful Father, wants us to succeed and as we submit to him, he guides us along life’s paths. Tomorrow, we’ll see He even has tools to help. However, this doesn’t mean that if we submit to God we’ll never face hardships or steer off path. You see, it’s complicated. Life seems like a constant struggle between what God wants for our lives, and what we want, then, there’s just the unpredictable circumstances of living in a fallen world.
Thankfully, God never gives up on us, even when we give up on ourselves. He’s always ready to help steer us back to a path that leads us back to him, the one we were created by and for.
So if you feel like you’ve been doing all the right things, but life continues to knock you down time and time again, try not to give up. It doesn’t mean God has abandoned you, or is upset with you. It means, no matter what we do, life can be hard. Learning to continually come back to God and the community he calls us to participate in, is what helps us on that right path.
- In what ways do you need God to come alongside you today to renew your strength?
- Where have you felt frustrated in your walk with God, and/or in what’s happening in your life right now? What questions do you have of God?
- What can you surrender to Him today, to find some peace and get some rest?
by Pastor Paddy McCoy
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