Psalm 23

1The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

So I went to Bible Study with Amy last night. The ladies made a fantastic dinner before the study and it was amazing! After dinner, the ladies spent 20 minutes discussing what God had taught them over the last few weeks in their study of Psalm 23. I didn't attend any of the previous studies, so I felt a little out of place discussing the meaning of this verse in my life. However, God has taught me so much from this verse.

I was made to memorize this verse when I was in Awanas as a child. It is one of those bible verses that you hear so often, you almost think that it will lose its meaning. Fortunately, the Word of God is a living and active thing and it has not lost meaning, but gained meaning as the years have progressed and the words are carved on my heart.

I have come to the realization lately that I keep myself busy. So busy. When I told someone all the ways in which I was busy, they asked me who I was trying to prove myself to. The question resonated in my heart. Who am I trying to prove myself to? God? My parents?

And then it hit me - the person I'm trying to prove myself worthy to is me. When I heard the ladies talking about this verse last night, I was impressed by the: He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul;

God spoke to my heart with this - "He restores my soul." I've been so busy trying to prove myself, better myself, and grow as a person by doing good things, life things, fun things, hard things, that I've stopped following where He leads me - beside quiet waters. I wonder how much restoration and true growth I've missed while I've been busy trying to grow myself.

Thank God for his Word and the daily ways he speaks to our hearts. I pray that I will listen better and follow his leading in my life along the quiet waters.