“He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
– Psalm 23:3
I have been thinking about Stephen’s message last Sunday and his statement that “right paths” in Psalm 23 don’t refer to a single, clear path. “Right paths” don’t mean that God will show me a straight, yellow-brick road that I can just head off on by myself and not need any direction from God in the future.
Stephen suggested that we are on “right paths” when we invite God to join us – wherever we are. I have, at many times in my life, wished that God would reveal the next portion of the journey for me so I could see where I was headed and how things would turn out. But the reality is that if He did I would probably assess the situation, gather the things I needed, pack my bag, and head out toward that goal.
All by myself.
And not think about asking Him to come along with me until I forgot something or something went wrong.
During the second service, Stephen mentioned the song “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day. The chorus of that song is:
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes, I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then, I walk alone
So bleak. When I hear those words I am so, so, so incredibly grateful that God doesn’t give me the yellow-brick road or the full picture of my life. I’m so grateful that I don’t know where I’m headed because my uncertainty reminds me of my need for Him. It spurs me to talk to Him and ask Him to join me where I am. I don’t always know where we’re walking but I am certain that I’m walking with the One who loves me, has found me, and I’m not walking alone.