I was sitting at a little table on the deck of a coffee shop looking over at the small, lively street in Nepal. I remember it had been a pretty busy week, so I was so happy to take a breath and just be with my Father in one of my favorite sceneries, a coffee shop. It was January, so I was beginning to think about life after the race because I was expecting to be home in a little over three months. I remember feeling worried. I was excited to be home and see everyone I loved, but there would be so many unknowns. What will I do after the race? Where should I live? What will life even be like in America? Will certain dreams and desires I have for the future be fulfilled? So many questions and so many unknowns. I brought these worries to my Father. I don’t always remember to do this right away, but I have learned that it helps so much to just bring the worries to Him instead of just sitting in them. I love that He is a God Who hears, Who sees, Who cares, and Who speaks. He is not a far off, distant God. We really get to have a relationship with Him! Man, that’s so awesome and just shows how merciful He is! Anyways, I brought all of these questions and worries to Him. He did not give me a specific answer to each of these questions at that time. He simply brought me to Psalm 23.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.”
I remember I kept reading over these powerful words and wrote them down to let them sink in. The Lord is my Shepherd, what on earth do I have to worry about? That is what really stuck out to me. I have no idea what tomorrow truly holds. I have dreams and desires that I am working towards. I make plans, but I don’t really know every detail of what tomorrow or six months from now could hold. What I do know is that I have a good Shepherd and He knows what I need. He knows the future. He is not going to leave. I love that it says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Then, it talks about walking through the valley and being in the presence of enemies. So I am not promised that everything will be easy and I may not know what tomorrow will hold or even the next hour, but I have a greater promise. HE IS WITH ME and WILL BE WITH ME. He has already won the victory! I will fear no evil because my God Who is above all has won the victory and is with me. In the midst of the trials or in the presence of the enemy, I can just rest in Christ, sit at the table, and confidently eat because He is with me. He is what brings peace! He is the Prince of Peace! (You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3)
Now, I know it’s easier said than done to not worry. Fear comes up in my life a lot. I have to surrender fears to my Father pretty much daily. We shouldn’t walk in shame because we have fear. But I just want to encourage you that you have a Heavenly Father to bring those fears and worries to. He reigns far above them! Fear doesn’t get the right to control our lives! He is greater than all of those things. He will walk with you and bring you through those valleys. He is faithful. I don’t have all of the answers, but I know for sure that God is good, He will walk with us, and He will provide.
