He leads me beside the still water.

​Psalm 23
 
One of the many dangers to a sheep is rough and turbulent water.  Deep water is sure death to a sheep.  The water will soak into the wool and the sheep will sink like a rock.  The shepherd knows to create a shallow pool of water for the sheep to drink.  He knows that his sheep require slow running water for them to safely drink.  A good shepherd knows where all the safe streams run and where the wolves are less likely to be lurking.
 
God in His great wisdom leads us to a place where we can drink from His living water.  He provides for us a place to revitalize and restore our souls.  Sometimes He will lead us gently to still waters so that we can drink at our leisure.  Sometimes He will drive us from dangerous waters into a quieter time with Him.  He knows what is best for His sheep and is willing to take us from the fast currents of our lives into a more quiet and calmer pool to help us to refresh and refill our reservoir with His word.
 
When He interrupts our busy schedule and puts us in a place where we are no longer able to keep up the fast pace, we need to thank Him and seek out His reason for what He has done.  He desires for us only His best.  That is why He sent His Son.  He sees the whole tapestry.  We see only the tangled threads of the back of the tapestry.  We need to trust Him to eventually show us the whole picture. 
 
When we take time to seek out the still waters, we gain a deeper insight into the great Shepherd's will for our lives.  But if we choose to live our lives beside the still water and don't return to the green pastures to feed, we become stagnant and do not grow.  Our Shepherd knows that we need balance to grow in the healthiest way.
 
Trust in His leading to give you the best and most balanced diet of His service and His blessings.  Don't become angry when He changes the course of your life, just look with excitement for the next path that will lead you to a deeper and richer life in Christ.

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