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The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.

The words of this familiar passage stirred in my heart. The trouble is at that moment He didn’t seem like a shepherd who was providing for me and caring for my needs.

Trusting God when He doesn’t seem good is hard.

We all go through seasons of life when it doesn’t feel like He is our shepherd, when the pasture doesn’t seem green, and the water that restores our soul doesn’t seem to be enough, because our eyes are focused on what we see. Circumstances may be painful and unpleasant.

Faith that perseveres must hold onto what is not seen.

Faith is willing to speak the Word of God out of obedience rather than out of emotion. When our feelings contradict the Word of God, we are not to ignore the feelings and pretend that we are unaware that they are out of alignment with who God says He is but instead must bring the feelings to the foot of the cross and confess that we believe His Word more than our feelings.

The Christian duty is to walk by faith and not by sight- to choose to put on the mind of Christ rather than the mind of the flesh.

Less than two months ago I stood next to the casket holding the lifeless body of the man who meant more to me than I could ever put into words. The man who met me when I was a frightened, hopeless, broken 19-year-old deli clerk. The man who obeyed God’s voice telling him to love me with the Father’s love.

With his unexpected passing I want to question, to ask why now God? I want to know why He couldn’t have left him here on earth to watch my children grow up. And why I have to be fatherless again. Instead of answers I am given the verse “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.” The choice to hold onto that promise is mine to make. [bctt tweet=”Faith is both a gift and a choice.” username=”NaomiFata”] To grow in faith, I must choose to believe God’s word rather than my own mind.

Are there situations in life recently that cause you to question the goodness of God?

When you find yourself questioning, bring it to Him. Tell Him how you feel but then make a choice.

Whether in business, in family situations, or in everyday life, there will be times and seasons when God does not seem like a Good Shepherd. We don’t see the result He has planned. There comes a time when each of us must decide.

Will I trust that He is who He says He is?

Will I trust that He is the Good Shepherd even when I don’t see it?

Will I choose to believe that He is working all this out for my good so that I might be transformed into the image of Christ? (Romans 8)

[bctt tweet=”To grow in faith, I must choose to believe God’s word rather than my own mind. ” username=”NaomiFata”]

Father, Thank You that You are the Good Shepherd. I choose to believe that You are working all things out for my good, even when I don’t see it. Amen.

This post is part of several link ups: #Becoming Press, #chasingcommunity #HeartEncouragement and #FreshMarketFriday