When God says to rest and you keep going because you have so much on your plate, then He smashes your plate and your have to rest. It is then you learn to trust the fact that He is in control and He can handle everything that you think you are the only one that can. That is how this year has gone. From a severe cut on my left hand, thank God I’m right handed, to getting really sick because, “A little cut isn’t going to stop me.” I had to learn to trust Him when all I could do is rest. It is through this experience that the 23rd Psalm took on a new light. I will be using the Amplified Version to shed this light.
The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],
I shall not want.
It was the “shield me” that really stood out to me. Even if it is from myself. He shields from what could cause me real damage. When I was pushing my body to the max and not heeding the warning signs He shielded me from doing more damage to the body than I did.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.
When He called me to take a break and rest from everything, I was comforted knowing that there were people who were fully capable to step in and take over for me, It was not in the middle of a crisis that I wouldn't be able to deal with it was a time of smooth sailing. My team was able to keep things from falling apart.
He refreshes and restores my soul (life);
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.
We need times of rest to be refreshed and not stressed out over stuff we cant’s control. It is when we trust Him to lead us down the path He wants for our lives can we find rest. It will not be a path of continuous struggling. It may have a bump here or there but when we trust His leading it won’t be a stressful steep mountain to climb.
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
Those times when we come across something in our path that seems extremely difficult to handle and God is nowhere to be found. We just need to take a deep breath and trust in the knowledge that He is still there leading us. We can rest when we are overwhelmed.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.