6 Powerful Reasons We Can Rest in Christ as Our Shepherd

I hope you love the products and resources I recommend here at A Little R & R. Just so you know, it is possible that I get a commission and collect income from the links on this page. Click here for more info.

Have you seen the meme “If you’re too busy to spend time with Jesus, you’re too busy?”

I don’t know about you, but the first time I saw it, it was like a gut-punch, because I knew that there had been times I told myself I was too busy, when in reality I simply hadn’t made it a higher priority.

Do you find yourself in that situation when it comes to spending time with Jesus?

Maybe you’re a single mom or an entrepreneur just getting your business off the ground.

Maybe you’re struggling to set aside quality time with each of your children, and can’t seem to find a quiet moment for yourself so you can really invest in time with the Lord.

Perhaps every time you sit down with your Bible, something interrupts, and you’re feeling frustrated because you know your time with Jesus should be a priority, but it keeps getting interrupted.

I think all of us have been here at different times in our Christian walk; the truth is, life moves at warp speed in this generation.

Christ as our Shepherd in a field with a staff

We live in a culture that has an upside-down view of what will make us happy and successful.

Are we happy?

We may be successful in the world’s eyes, but does that equate with spiritual success?

These are very important questions to ask ourselves right now.

Perhaps God may be calling us to completely change our measurement of happiness and success.

Perhaps that change will have a monumental impact on our future, our relationship with our husband and children, and transform the way we interact with our church.

6 Powerful Reasons We Can Rest in Christ as Our Shepherd

Every day while washing dishes, I look out my kitchen window just over my sink and watch the neighbor’s sheep grazing in the field that borders our house on two sides of our property.

What’s fun is just after the New Year, when there are a handful of lambs jumping and playing.

I have often reflected on the 23rd Psalm while watching them, thinking about how often God has referred to us as sheep and lambs — and how well we fit that description.

We know that nothing in Scripture is a coincidence; nothing is said accidentally, so it is no coincidence that we are called sheep and that Jesus is our Good Shepherd.

1. When God is our Shepherd, we do not need to worry

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (v1)

In one of Jesus’ sermons, He reminded His followers that if earthly fathers want to give their children the good things that they need and want, how much more does God want to give us good things when we ask Him.

God is our Shepherd, and as God, He has all power to provide us with everything we need.

We have no reason to ever worry or be anxious about our needs. Anxiety and worry over our needs display a lack of trust in God’s sovereign power to provide for us.

In fact, it says to God, “You are not able to provide for my needs, so I need to try to provide for myself on my own!”

Sheep never worry about what they will eat, because they trust in their shepherd to lead them to their source of food each and every day.

2. We need rest to thrive spiritually

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. (v2)

Sheep are ruminants, and ruminating animals must lie down in order for their digestive system to function properly. Without rest, their digestive systems do not properly function, and that can be harmful and even fatal to them.

When they are in danger, their only defense is to run, so sheep will not lie down unless they are at ease and know they are safe.

It is the same for the Christian.

We cannot properly digest the Word of God if we are just reading on the run. A short devotional here, a verse of the day there.

That is not how we were created to grow spiritually.

In order for us to spiritually thrive, we must choose to set aside blocks of time when we quiet our souls and minds in order to properly hear from God and receive His Word.

In an age when we are surrounded by every kind of noise, from digital noise and the constant busyness of running from one errand to another to the pressure and anxiety we feel from deadlines, the news, and whatever we may feel we’re missing out on, this is a challenge.

But it is a challenge we must commit ourselves to, if we truly wish to grow spiritually.

3. After seasons of busyness and constant noise, we must invest in seasons of refreshment

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (v3)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in a long season of pressure, demands, and intense responsibility. My day begins at 4:30 in the morning and ends about 9:30-10:00 at night.

I don’t stop all day long.

It’s just the season of life I’m in as a busy work-from-home, homeschooling mom.

But we cannot stay in these seasons indefinitely. God didn’t create us for that. Not only do these seasons drain us physically, but they drain our soul and spirit, too.

We need to spend time in the presence of God, allowing Him to restore our souls.

4. When God is our Shepherd, we can live completely free from fear

Yea, 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. (v.4)

Notice that this Psalm not only does not say that bad things will not happen to us when God is our Shepherd, but it says that there will be times when we will experience tribulation.

But when we do experience tribulation, we can still walk in total peace, because we know God is with us.

A shepherd cannot carry his sheep on dangerous paths. Even if he had just one sheep, it would be too heavy for him to carry. But shepherds have whole flocks of sheep they lead, making carrying sheep through difficult paths impossible!

However, they have their rod and staff that they lay across their sheep to comfort them and let them know that he is near.

The rod and staff are for comfort and assurance.

God’s Word and His precious promises are His comfort to us.

As we daily spend time in God’s presence, meditating on His Word, we find our faith is strengthened, and a supernatural peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7) as we walk through tribulation and troubling times.

5. When God is our Shepherd, we can live at peace even when surrounded by trouble

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. (v5)

Have you ever been so overcome with anxiety that you couldn’t eat? I have been so many times. I recall a season about four years ago when I was so deep in anxiety that I couldn’t eat, and barely even drank water, for three whole days.

I never want to experience that level of anxiety again!

And I don’t have to. No matter what comes my way, I know that I will never sink that deep into anxiety again because through that experience, I came to know God on a much deeper level.

During those three days of unplanned fasting, I was crying out to Him day and night.

I meditated on verses having to do with peace, and by the end of those three days, I had a tremendous breakthrough.

Since that time, I have worked on my “faith muscle” so that every time I am tempted to fall into the trap of anxiety, I am able to walk away faster and faster.

When God is our Shepherd, we can feast at His table in perfect peace and tranquility, even when we’re surrounded by our enemies.

He cares for us with His soothing oil and refreshes us with endless refreshment in our cup!

We have nothing at all to fear. He is our provider and our defense!

6. When God is our Shepherd, He turns all things for our good

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (v.6)

Romans 8:28 promises us that God will work all things for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

No matter what circumstances we face in life, we can rest assured that God will be glorified through them because He is God and He will be glorified for His name’s sake!

And this very special Psalm ends with that declaration.

A declaration we need to train our hearts to be fully assured of: No matter what I face in life, God’s goodness and mercy will follow me for the rest of my life!

The Hebrew word for “follow” in this verse literally means to pursue you and chase you.

To hunt you down.

This is a rather aggressive tone. We could say, “Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me, chase me, hunt me down, and tackle me all the days of my life!”

That is amazing news!!

God is serious and very aggressive about turning things for our good!

He wants us to walk in His perfect peace and rest, but it’s up to us to make that choice.

Let’s do that today. Today, let’s make the choice to choose to slow down and rest in His presence, to allow Him to renew us, restore us, and fill us with His joy and peace.

There is nothing on our agenda that is more important than this decision right here.

No deadline, no need, no list, no schedule is more important than sitting in God’s presence to meditate on His Word, to chew and digest what He has spoken to us, to allow that soothing oil to flow over us, and His endless cup of refreshment to fill us….

So that as we get up and go about our day, we can maintain that spirit of peace and rest — and let that peace and rest flow from us from the inside out as a soothing refreshment to those around us.