Have you ever felt like you were in over your head? Well, here’s a word of encouragement. You CAN handle anything. Sound too good to be true. Take a look at this:
Psalm 23:1: "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want."
Another way to interpret “I shall not want” is “I lack nothing.” This short – YET POWERFUL – Bible verse has two different thoughts that should help you feel confident, capable, and content … even during the most trying of times.
Thought Number 1 – The LORD Is My Shepherd
When the book of Psalm says, “The LORD is my shepherd,” that should give us cause for great confidence. Back when King David wrote that psalm, a shepherd was responsible for three important jobs concerning the flock:
-Protect it
-Care for it
-Guide it
-Protect it
-Care for it
-Guide it
Now think about this … the LORD is constantly protecting you, caring for you, and guiding you. If you can know that – deep down in your soul – you’ll feel ready for the task at hand.
Thought Number 2 – I Lack Nothing
The second part of Psalm 23:1 is a bold statement, indeed. It states that YOU LACK NOTHING. “How can that be?” you ask. Don’t we all fail sometimes? Don’t we all struggle? Yes, we do! But so did Moses. So did King David. Even Jesus struggled. But lacking nothing doesn’t mean that we’re perfect or that everything is easy. It means that, thanks to God, we have resources to get us through difficult times. Some of these resources include:
-Faith: You can be sure that God, in His infinite wisdom, is working His plan so that your challenge will ultimately bring you blessing.
-Perseverance: God’s word says that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (See Romans 5:3-5.) So, even our suffering and hardships bring us blessing.
-God’s word: With the Bible as a constant source of edification you truly have an unlimited source of strength and truth.
-Wisdom: When you feel you need more insight and wisdom, you need only turn to God. You are promised that should you ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, it will be given to you. (See James 1:5.)
-The Power Of Prayer: We have been promised that if we ask anything according to his will, God hears us (See 1 John 5:14).
-Faith: You can be sure that God, in His infinite wisdom, is working His plan so that your challenge will ultimately bring you blessing.
-Perseverance: God’s word says that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (See Romans 5:3-5.) So, even our suffering and hardships bring us blessing.
-God’s word: With the Bible as a constant source of edification you truly have an unlimited source of strength and truth.
-Wisdom: When you feel you need more insight and wisdom, you need only turn to God. You are promised that should you ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, it will be given to you. (See James 1:5.)
-The Power Of Prayer: We have been promised that if we ask anything according to his will, God hears us (See 1 John 5:14).
Be Confident And Of Good Cheer – You Got This!
Remember Rocky Balboa from the Rocky movies? His fights were never easy. He would get punched … knocked down … and pummeled. But Rocky wasn’t lacking anything. He was strong, determined, and well trained. And YOU’RE JUST LIKE ROCKY. Even though your own personal battles may be trying at times, with God as your shepherd you have everything you need. Victory is yours!
