Where's My Shepherd?

I would hope that you read this with an open mind and not get upset with what I am about to tell you. Piece of advice, if this upsets you, maybe it’s because this is something you don’t want to admit to or realize in your own life. If that’s the case, I ask that you really pay attention because most of us don’t want change, but all of us need it.

I heard this amazing word from one of my favorite preachers, it spoke to me and really touched my heart as I see it in myself and other people around me. She read from Psalm 23, and for those of you who don’t know it, it goes like this...

“The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

2 He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

3 He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to his name.

4 Even when I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me.

5 You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord

Forever."

Now, for some of you this means nothing, so let me explain. This comes from the Bible, a book called Psalm, and is full of wisdom on how someone should live their lives. It is very comforting if you read it, it talks about how there will be comfort in the dark times, overflow of blessings, being pursued by someone who wants to give you strength and most importantly someone who will guide you, a shepherd.

Now this preacher spoke about the word ‘shepherd’. By definition, a shepherd is a person who tends sheep, someone who takes care of them. Does anyone know why sheep need a shepherd? I do, sheep are helpless and dumb creatures who need to be guided, they can’t be on their own, they won’t know where to go, what to do or how to defend themselves. But that is okay because there is a shepherd guiding them. The job of a shepherd is to protect, care for, provide for and guide their sheep. As a sheep, you trust that your shepherd will guide you well, take care of you the proper way and lead you where you should and need to go.

Humans have shepherds and need them. Personally, I take comfort in those verses up above because God is the one who is my shepherd. In this crazy world we live in, so many things happen, chaos is everywhere, change is constantly happening and there seems to be no time of rest. So in the times where life is chaotic, nonstop and overwhelming, I rest in this verse, that God is my shepherd, He is guiding me where I need to go, taking care of me as I go and making sure I am protected. Can I share a secret with you? Only someone like God can do that, you see everything on Earth doesn’t have that capability.

Now, can I share another secret with you? If you put someone or something in your life that you let guide you and it isn’t God, I’m sorry to say that it will fail you, unfortunately I know this. If you put your friends, family, spouse, significant other or your kids in the place of your shepherd, it will fail you. People come and go, they betray you and backstab you, they hurt you and fall short of expectations. People are people and we all make mistakes. How can we trust to put someone in charge of our lives and guide us if they make the same mistakes we do? You cannot have the blind leading the blind.

Some people put money, fame, their career and even their popularity on social media to be their shepherd. It becomes their affirmation and they only rely on that, but tell me how can those things be your driving force, how can you let an inanimate object, something that isn’t alive, be the guide of your life. Those things only last a little while, so what will you do when they are gone.

Everyone on earth has a shepherd, something or someone they follow, put their trust in and let guide their lives. Who/ What is your shepherd? Are they or is it a good shepherd? Can they protect you 100% and guide you to the right things? Can it fulfill the love you have in your heart? Does it allow you to be at peace? I want to ask you to think about it carefully.

Now, I want to bring up another question, how are you letting your shepherd affect who you are? How is this affecting your daily reactions to people and how you handle your situation? If you filled with anger, bitterness and evil maybe that's because of what you are letting guide your life and control you. You cannot become a loving, caring person if you let someone or something guide you down the wrong path. You see, not many things can keep you a happy person because not many things are really life long fulfilling. Can I share with you another secret? God can.

Your shepherd controls who you are and where you go. Are you putting your life in the right shepherd's hands?

#livinintheworld #blog #sheep #shepherd #psalm23 #hope #love #peace