How God will lead us to get our life back (Psalm 23, Part 2)

By Dean Collins

“I want my life back...”

When the pandemic hit, it wasn’t long before everyone started asking when things would be normal again. We were all reacting to the early recommendations of how to stay safe from the virus. I can remember my first trip to the grocery store after we were all sheltered in place. Don’t touch your face kept running through my head. Don’t breathe if you are near anyone. Hand sanitizer every other aisle. And then when I got home, I unloaded the groceries in the garage and wiped packages with antibacterial wipes before I brought them in the house.

I have long since let go of that routine, partly because we now know much of it doesn’t accomplish anything but make us paranoid. The other reason we don’t do it is because we are determined to take our life back.

Life can be better

If we are honest, long before the pandemic, some (maybe many) of us were thinking or feeling and maybe saying to a friend or to God, “I want my life back.” Part of getting your life back connects to what you believe stole or took your life in the first place. The urge to have your life back comes from a realization that life can be better than it is now. And that is absolutely true according to David in Psalm 23.

John Goldingay’s translation of Psalm 23:3 reads this way: “He turns my life back. He guides me in faithful tracks for the sake of his name.”

David knew what we’ve all discovered. Life can sometimes get off track. And sometimes it is something subtle that is changed or, to be honest, something we changed that gets us off track. Before we notice, we are suddenly far away from safety. We had no idea that one decision would result in things now feeling out of control.

But the reality is that things are out of control sometimes. There are cascading consequences to our decisions and actions, and we find ourselves unable to fix the mess and get ourselves together and our life back. The comeback can start where David’s psalm opens: “The Lord is my shepherd.“ I resign from self-shepherding. I need and I want a good shepherd to lead me.

Ready for restoration

After resting in the green grass by the quiet water as the shepherd instructs, we are ready for restoration. We can’t do the restoration unassisted. Remember, it was our self-determination that got us into this mess. We need help. This isn’t a DIY project; this requires someone who knows the better, the best way forward. The one who knew us even before our own mother knew us is available for the job. He can restore our very soul. You may need someone to assist, but they can’t do the work of restoration, either. God is not only creator; he is the master of restoration.

The way of restoration involves taking the next right step. But it works only if we take the step, as David described, on the paths of righteousness. Steps that don’t lead to righteousness will always result in less life and more mess. If restoration is to stick, then righteousness must be the path. Righteousness and selfishness can’t reside together. If we insist that our path and our plan is the best, then the soul cannot be restored.

free-to-use-sounds-zXn-zUztOhU-unsplash.jpg

The only path

Jesus, who was with the Father at creation, said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He came to earth and took our sins to the cross. Then he rose from the dead to conquer death and initiate the great restoration that is the way forward, the best path, the only path to righteousness and to restoration.

Verse 3 ends with David’s calling our attention to why we follow the path of righteousness all the way to the shores of restoration. It’s for the sake of his name. Remember we said that selfish and righteous can’t reside together? Only God can get the glory for this work of restoration he offers. Yes, we can all celebrate together when one of us gets their life back. But let’s never forget who gets the glory. David would write in Psalm 115, “Not to us, not to us oh Lord, but to your name give glory.” And here again in this verse is the reminder; glory is because of God’s love and God’s faithfulness, not because of our human achievement.

We can have our lives back! And it can happen even today. Maybe the best way to get started is to simply pray your way through Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:3
”He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (ESV).
”He turns my life back. He guides me in faithful tracks for the sake of his name” (The First Testament).

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭115:1‬; Philippians‬ ‭2:13; ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23:1-6 ‭ESV‬‬

To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.
To download a printable version of today’s post, click here.

Photos by Dan Gribbin and by Free To Use Sounds on Unsplash

Dean Collins

Pastor, campus minister, counselor, corporate employee, Fortune 500 consultant, college president—Dean brings a wide range of experiences and perspectives to his daily walk with God’s Word. 

In 1979 he founded Auburn Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational campus ministry that still thrives today. In 1989 he founded and became executive director for New Directions Counseling Center, a service that grew to include several locations and counselors. In 1996 he became vice president of human resources for the CheckFree Corporation (3,000 employees) till founding DC Consulting in 1999. He continues part-time service with that company, offering executive leadership coaching, organizational effectiveness advice, and help with optimizing business relationships.

His latest pursuit, president of Point University since 2006 (interim president 2006-2009), has seen the college grow in enrollment, curriculum, physical campus, and athletic offerings. He led the school’s 2012 name change and relocation from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Georgia, to Point University in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, he serves as board member or active volunteer with several nonprofits addressing issues ranging from global immunization to local government and education. 

He lives in Lanett, Alabama, with his wife, Penny. He has four children (two married) and five grandchildren. He plays the guitar, likes to cook, and enjoys getting outdoors, often on a nearby golf course. 

Previous
Previous

The shepherd got you through the dark. Now what? (Psalm 23, Part 4)

Next
Next

Why we need a God who is always trustworthy (Psalm 23, Part 1)