HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES;
HE LEADS ME BESIDE QUIET WATERS.
Psalm 23:2 NASB ❤ (Verse on Bible Hub)
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
I’ve always focused on the green pasture part of this Scripture.
I so appreciate the Lord being a good Shepherd to me and how He makes me lie down in those plush, soft, green pastures where everything is good.
I can rest peacefully while gazing up at the beautiful blue sky.
But, (sigh) sometimes He has had to ‘make me’ lie down in green pastures where it absolutely didn’t feel green at all!!
It felt more like a big field of prickly dry grass that had not been rained on in years! It repeatedly poked me and it hurt so much.
One wound didn’t have time to completely heal before another wound would begin.
To “make” means to compel (someone) to do something;
force, compel, coerce, pressure, strong-arm.
At times, the Lord has had to literally force me into a place He wanted me to be.
I’m a creature of habit and I like my routine. I’m a planner and I love being rooted. Being rooted in one place gives me a sense of security.
So when I received the letter informing me that I had to move out of my place, and no doors opened as I frantically searched for another? Well, let’s just say I wasn’t feeling very secure or restful.
That was four years ago and I can honestly say I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness.
In His kindness, He ‘made me’ lie down by closing the doors He wanted closed.
I then had no alternative but to walk through the one He planned for me to walk through.
It wasn’t easy and I wept with a devastated heart … a lot!
I felt like I had lost everything, but I needed to feel this way in order for God to do the miracle in my heart that He longed to do.
He has sprinkled little golden nuggets along my journey.
But the greatest miracle was Him showing me just how much He loves me; intentionally and individually, just the way I am. After all, He made me.
I share this story often because it is part of my love story.
Other than the gift of Jesus, it’s the greatest love story of all. I pray people everywhere will experience God’s true love for them.
It has freed me from so much.💗💗
Where has the Lord ‘made you’ to lie down in green pastures?
Please know He did it because He dearly loves YOU!
Or maybe you’re in the process of being ‘made’ to lie down, even now as you read this?
Trust me, He is only doing it because of His great love for you.
It might not feel like it at this moment, but it’s so true; He does.
He genuinely does.💗
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.”
Psalm 32:8 (Verse on Bible Hub)
Blessings,
❤
He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures @ freshgracefortoday.com
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What a beautiful reminder of God’s love for us, even when we don’t feel like what he makes us do is for our good at all. Thank you for this encouragement!
How true it is that He sometimes just has to “make us” feel compelled to do things, for our own good! 🙂
I am grateful for those times where I am made to lie down. It may not be pleasant in the moment but looking back He has always shielded me from something or someone that would harm my walk. Praying that I would have the discernment to know in the moment that its for my good.
Such an amazing article. It’s awesome how you can pull so much out of so little!
I’ve always thought of this as a peaceful comment in the Bible but wow you are right. He “Makes me” lie down in green pastures. Like forcing me to rest when I want to go do my own thing. Submission is hard but so worth it and when He says rest… whew I need to listen. Thanks for the reminder today.
I have never considered the part of this verse where God compels us to rest in the green pasture. This is such an important part of the verse! I can’t tell you how much it means to me in the season to have that pointed out! I’m in a period of watching and waiting. I can definitely see his goodness in this place, but I have been impatient! Reading this truly brought refreshment. ❤️
A beautiful reflection upon Psalm 23. The passage is dear to me and you have a very meaningful insight about it.
“He has sprinkled little golden nuggets along my journey, but the greatest miracle was Him showing me just how much He loves me; intentionally and individually, just the way I am. After all, He made me.” He always has our best interest in mind.
I love your heart and I love this this post, Susan! There have been so many times He had to make me lie down in His green pastures, because I was stubborn and didn’t understand. But I’m so thankful for His mercy and grace and how He never stopped in His faithful persistence to lead and guide me even when I was not fully cooperating… ❤
I have had to be made to lie down in green pastures many times. Mostly because I am stubborn. God has taught me so much in those times but nothing more important than to trust in Him. Blessings
Lol I understand, Jamie. Trusting Him is most important to me too and He can be trusted.💗 Thank you.
A wonderful reminder of how God lay us down in green pasture. Thank you!!
Thank you, Kristi, for stopping by. I hope you’re having a wonderful day.💗
If we could learn to deeply trust Him no matter what, our lives would be so much easier, wouldn’t they?? Little by little, I’m learning that He truly does “work all things together for good”…whether I understand His ways or not. His ways are truly higher than ours.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story!
So very true Lindsey. I’m grateful He never gives up on us.💗
I love your posts. I started reading these a few weeks ago. I now feel god led me to this group. I lost my dad on April 6th 2018. It was sudden and unexpected. I was very close to my dad and loved him dearly. He was 66 yrs old and I’m 44. I found a note the next day where he wrote down proverbs 27:9 – A sweet friendship refreshes the soul. I started looking for the verse online and found your blog. Growing up, my dad taught me psalms 23 chapter and told me to think of it every time something scared me.
As I was reading your post today, I realized, l’m lying down in green pastures. The green pastures that hurts a lot. It’s reminded me that our ever loving God is guiding me through this for a purpose and there is a plan that I can’t see.
Thankyou for sharing your thoughts and I look forward to reading more from you all.
I’m so sorry to hear about your dad, Sushma.😢I’m thankful God has led you here and will continue to guide you through your grief and sorrow. Psalms 23 has blessed me repeatedly throughout my life. It’s amazing how one chapter can be such a blessing in so many ways. I will keep you in my prayers.💗
I can relate to what you have shared. It is such a wonderful thing to recognize God’s guidance, realize that He knew/knows more than we ever could, and only wants what’s best for us….even though we can’t alway see and/or understand what He’s doing or why. One’s heart can only be overwhelmed with thanks when we see the results of God’s will compared to what could have been if we’d gotten our way. Thanks for sharing your story.
Beautifully worded. Thank you!💗
What a beautiful reminder that God’s guidance also includes rest in His provision, even when it doesn’t look like what we thought we needed. I am in awe of your love story and what God is doing! <3
Me too, Nikole! Thank you! 💗
Such an excellent read! So timely. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Lisette. I’m glad it blessed you. God’s timing is so wonderful!💗
I love that this is your love story. God is so incredibly faithful and has so incredibly blessed sister. Although, I am being made to lie down – I’m happy to do it because of the peace and joy that follows.
So true, Hannah! I love the peace and joy that follow too.💗
I went through some burnout. He made me lie down and rest. And I learned to value rest far more than I had before.
Thank you for sharing. We do learn to value rest.💗