The Good Shepherd: Devotions Inspired by Psalm 23预览

Everything Is Going to Be Okay, Right?! 

By Courtney Watkins 

“Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.” Luke 12:25–32 (MSG) 

I remember the day my sweet husband came to me with the most serious look on his face and spoke the words no one wants to hear: “Hey babe, I don’t know how we’re going to pay for groceries for the rest of the month.” You see, we were missionaries overseas at the time, and we lived on the financial support given to us by our friends, family, and ministry partners. The Lord had called my husband and I to sell everything we owned and move across the ocean with our four children to serve as missionaries in Belgium. How hard could that be, right? I mean if God spoke it, then surely He will provide for our every need. It’s interesting that dependence on God is a skill we as believers feel we automatically have when we get saved but often have a hard time putting into practice in our lives. When push comes to shove, will we fully trust in the Creator of the universe? I was about to be challenged on this trust and dependence. 

We were barely scraping by. After paying all the bills and the kid-related expenses, we were left with about $10 in the account ... for the rest of the month! In that moment I had a choice: live in fear and stress over things I couldn’t change or put my trust fully in the Lord and His provision. I chose to take God at His word and wait on Him to come through for us in a miraculous way. When things were literally out of our control, my husband and I would say, “Put it on my tab,” which meant: Hey God, put this on my heavenly tab because You have endless resources, and all we are called to do is trust that You’re good. 

During that season, we prayed daily and sometimes hourly for the Lord to help us continue to trust Him and embrace dependence on Him. Well, wouldn’t you know, we got a check in the mail for $5,000 from a very unexpected source. That was enough money to get us through the next several months of living expenses. All I could do was cry. When I fully gave up, God showed up. And while that wasn’t the last time my faith and trust were tested, my faith was built that day. I now had a testimony of the Lord’s provision and knew what it was like to be fully dependent on Him. 

In Luke 12:28 (MSG), it says, “If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?” The problem comes when we don’t trust God is a good Father. Many of us often feel like we have to take matters into our own hands and control the outcome because we can’t see God has already worked it out. When my family was facing that difficult season, we couldn’t see God was working on our behalf, but He was! Provision was already on the way. 

If you’re in a difficult place right now, even if you can’t see it, God is working on your behalf. All you have to do is trust Him and rest knowing that everything really is going to be okay! 

PRAYER 

God, thank You for being a good, faithful Father. Today, I choose to surrender every concern of my life—every worry, anxiety, stress, and fear. I choose to trust You with the outcome and trust You are working on my behalf. I take You at Your word today and believe You are working everything out for my good. Thank You for loving me and caring about every detail of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION   

• Pray about the areas of your life where you need to fully release control to the Lord.   
• Ask God to help you trust He cares about you and is moving even when you don’t see the circumstances around you changing.

Holy Spirit, what are You saying to me today?

MEMORY VERSE

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1