Psalm 23: Rest and Simplicity in God

I used to think of Psalm 23 as the Psalm you read at a funeral. It was an overused scripture people pulled out to read to a grieving widower who had been married to his wife of fifty years.  Recently, however, God has been speaking to me through this scripture, and revealing a deeper meaning...He has been speaking to me about Rest and Simplicity.  As I journey through healing, He calls me to "rest" - in my favorite places, no less, beside a stream in a meadow.   

I see a lesson for how to walk through pain:  Count your blessings, Rest in His goodness, Lean on His strength, Count your blessings AGAIN, Rest in his Goodness AGAIN.  Repeat. 

Join me in reflecting on Psalm 23.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
      I have all that I need.

Reflect on what God has given you. 

 ² He lets me rest in green meadows;
      he leads me beside peaceful streams.

Reflect on ways that you can “rest” in God. 

    ³ He renews my strength.
   He guides me along right paths,
      bringing honor to his name.
 ⁴ Even when I walk
      through the darkest valley,
   I will not be afraid,
      for you are close beside me.
   Your rod and your staff
      protect and comfort me.

Reflect on ways that God has walked with you through dark times and given you strength.

 ⁵ You prepare a feast for me
      in the presence of my enemies.
   You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
      My cup overflows with blessings.

Reflect on the blessings and anointing God has given you lately. 

 ⁶ 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.

Reflect on God’s goodness as He “pursues” you.  What does that mean to you?

Restore, Rebuild, Renew

I have had this blog for a few years, but have been poor at updating it, unless there's a major chang in our life status. I decided that it needed an Extreme Makeover - hence the new name: "Joy in the Journey." That name has been rolling around in my head, not because I have somehow found the answer to living out "joy" in my life, but because I aspire to living out joy and delight even through difficult circumstances and pain.

Each year, I look ahead and claim the year for something. Last year was my year of "new beginnings." 2009 was a year of "change." (Why anyone would ever choose that is beyond me...) But this year is my year of "healing" - and to attain that I claim this statement: "When you are who God wants you to be, you can restore, rebuild, and renew." (see Isaiah 58:12)

2010 was a difficult year. This was the year that my hopes of happily ever after were dashed by the reality of life. What I had held on to for five years was simply not meant to be. And while the relationship had been destined for failure due to time, space, and commitment issues, I had carried it around like a sacred chest, even as it grew so heavy that I had to drag it around me. I prayed and cried and begged God to save it, but in the end, it was not my decision and God released me from dragging around the heavy burden. My marriage ended but it was like a pain of watching your loved one suffer on the machines that breathed life, and while you knew that death was the ultimate release and relief, the final breath was like shockwaves through your soul.

If you have ever experienced death or divorce, you know the grieving process that begins. I have experienced death, as a child my father died when I was 4.5 years old. I have now experienced death of my dreams of having a lifelong partner.

So I cling to 2011 and the healing that will come, as God restores, rebuilds, and renews my broken heart and home. As he reframes the shattered building that looked like my hopes. As he gives me a new hope and dream with the healing that is coming.

And He brings joy to my journey.