The Shepherds Way

We are talking about Psalm 23 – the Shepherd’s way today.

Let’s cover The Lord is my shepherd.

You ever notice how we like to be in control? We plan, organize, make lists, and then—life happens. And suddenly, that plan? Out the window. But Psalm 23 reminds us that we don’t have to be in control because we have a Shepherd who already is.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” That verse alone is like a deep breath. It’s David’s way of saying, “God’s got this.” When life feels like it’s running faster than we can catch up, He’s still guiding, still providing, still protecting.

And sometimes, those green pastures and still waters don’t look like what we expected. They might show up as a quiet morning drive, a moment of laughter with your family, or even peace in the middle of chaos. That’s God shepherding you—one step at a time.

So today, take comfort in this truth: you’re not lost; you’re being led.

We can see things and our future so clearly sometimes, and yet one thing can shift and suddenly we are in a place we never thought we would be. We didn’t get there by mistake. God is our Shepherd. He guides us even when we aren’t aware of it.

We can find ourselves on a new path, and sometimes that just means that we may have gotten off the original path, but God is leading us. We can continue where we are, or He will lead us back to where we need to be. With all of that, we can have confidence in His faithfulness and also trust in Him because He has never just left us to fend for ourselves.

He is our Shepherd, and with Him, we will have all we need.

A good shepherd knows his sheep, and they know Him.

I was watching this video one time, and the shepherd allowed each person visiting to try and imitate his call to his flock of sheep.

Each tried, but the sheep had no response for them. Then the shepherd had his turn, and those sheep immediately responded with baaing and also walked toward him.

Those sheep were not even fazed or tempted to respond to another’s call; they knew their shepherd’s call so well.

How well do you know our Lord and Shepherd’s call? Do you know it above the noise of others—so much so that you won’t be swayed or tempted to follow something else?

I know for me personally, I’m still learning it, and I have to pray fervent prayers to hear Him when I feel like I’m struggling to hear above the noise.

I’ve mentioned before that we have sheep, and we were trying to direct one to a certain area the other day, and every time we would get close, that sheep would run as fast as he could and jump to get away—but not too far away, just enough to feel freedom.

It was funny to see him run and jump, but when thinking on this, I feel like God probably struggles to find the humor when He is trying to guide us to a certain path or area and we run or jump off that path.

We just have our own thoughts and agenda sometimes, and so we go the opposite direction because we may feel more comfortable or because that’s where we want to go.

We didn’t mess with that sheep too long because it just seemed impossible, but God—He is so patient and diligent, and He stays with us, continually guiding us.

I’m thankful for a Shepherd who is patient and loving toward me.

Now let’s talk about how God restores us.

I love the part of Psalm 23 where it says, “He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.”

Sometimes, we treat rest like a reward we have to earn—but God offers it as a gift. The Shepherd knows when His sheep need to stop, catch their breath, and be restored. Maybe that’s you today. Maybe your soul’s a little worn out, and you just need to rest in knowing that God is handling the details.

When we allow Him to lead, He doesn’t just restore what’s been lost—He renews us so we can keep walking. He doesn’t rush. He restores.

So, if you’re tired today, take heart. God hasn’t forgotten about you—He’s walking you toward still waters again.

Do you have a scenario rolling around in your head? How about a response, and you just aren’t sure you should send it? Or how about the feeling that you need to take a minute and get yourself together before you lose it?

In any of these situations, we can find the struggle to be and feel a little too real for our liking, and that is because we just don’t think that we should have these issues.

The truth of it is, we do, and we struggle with a lot of things that we don’t think we need to. But the good news in the midst of that is that God renews us and guides us, and with Him doing all that, we can rest assured that He has a plan.

God will restore our hearts and minds, and we will find that the struggle wasn’t as bad as we thought it was. God is with us.

In the field where we keep our sheep, there are paths marked out. We did not mark these paths—our sheep did—and those are the same paths they took over and over and over; they never really made new ones.

I looked up the reasoning for this, and it says this: “Sheep walk the same paths daily due to their strong flocking instinct, safety concerns, and the ease of following an established route. They follow the sheep in front of them, and because they are prey animals, they feel more secure in a group and prefer to walk on the firmer, pre-worn paths that are a result of their collective behavior.”

So, they walk the same path due to comfort and habit.

God is our Shepherd, and He knows our comfort. Because we, like sheep, like comfort, He goes before us and sets a path. This is a path already worn down because He made it for us, and with that, we can know that we aren’t the first ones to use it—and we are more likely to follow that path.

God goes before you and prepares the way.

Next, we will talk about the part that says “even though.”

You know that line—“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me”? That “even when” part gets me every time. It’s not if we walk through hard places; it’s when.

Life brings valleys—loss, confusion, change—but God’s presence doesn’t disappear in the dark. In fact, it’s often when we see Him most clearly. He doesn’t just send us through the valley; He walks with us through it.

So, wherever you are today—whether you’re in the sunshine or shadow—you’re not alone. His rod and staff—His comfort and guidance—are still right there.

Let that truth be your calm in the chaos: God’s presence is not dependent on your surroundings.

When life brings loss, confusion, and change, we can go on the defense, and we can also go into solitude.

I say solitude is better than defense. That’s because, at least with solitude, we can sit and figure out what the Lord wants of us and what He has for us before we go and do and say—and then have regret.

It is through discernment that we learn what is best for us. Though we will walk through many losses, confusing moments, and changes, we can firmly know that God is with us, and we should seek Him first. He does not go anywhere, so if you are feeling like you are in a time of complete separation, just pray this simple prayer: “Lord, let me know You are near.”

He will give you what you have asked because the Bible does tell us that when we ask, we will receive according to God’s will. I’m sure that even though you feel deeply the way you feel, He never wants you to feel alone or confused.

The words “even though” or “even when” carry a lot of meaning behind them. They are usually followed by a circumstance that we are going through, and that’s because there is a lot that we battle in this life.

But Psalm 23 clearly tells us that even though we walk through all the valleys and all the mountaintops, God is with us. He will comfort us, and He will help us to walk through life with His strength.

The battles we face are victories in Jesus’ name. We just have to remember that He is our Shepherd, and He has gone before us and knows how to protect and guide us.

Let’s remember that goodness and mercy will follow.

Let’s go back to the final verse of Psalm 23 — “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

That word pursue means His love is chasing after you—not casually following—chasing. Even when we wander, even when we’re unsure, His goodness keeps coming.

Psalm 23 isn’t just a comforting poem—it’s a promise. God provides, restores, leads, protects, and pursues. He’s the Shepherd who knows your name and the path you’re on.

So, wherever your road takes you today, remember—you’re not walking alone. The Shepherd goes before you, beside you, and behind you.

You may not know what’s around the next bend, but your Shepherd does—and He’s already there.