The Answer My Weary Soul Needed
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need.” Psalm 23:1 CSB
My heart has been a little heavier the last few weeks. With the summer winding down, I knew it wouldn’t be too much longer before school would be back in session and life would get just a little crazier. My worries seem to pick up a little more with my son in middle school and my daughter going back to college. However, my worries aren’t just limited to my kids. Worry seems to creep in and invade every nook and cranny of my life. And I’ve noticed something. Not only is my heart heavy, but my soul is weary as well. My soul is weary from all the millions of thoughts and emotions running through my heart and mind threatening to pull me under at any moment. Do you ever find yourself with a heavy heart and a weary soul?
When my heart is heavy and my soul is weary, one of my favorite passages to read is Psalms 23 and I absolutely love the CSB version of this Psalm. Our key verse in Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need.” Friend, this encourages my heart. We don’t have to keep walking around with a heavy heart and a weary soul. We can take our worries and our concerns to our shepherd, and He gives our hearts and souls exactly what we need to get through another day.
This is a truth that I have learned the hard way. I tend to try to manage all my burdens myself and end up getting weighted down from the heaviness of it all. I’m learning more and more that I need to give my worries and concerns to Jesus instead of holding onto them tightly and trying to manage them myself. And just like His word says – He gives me exactly what I need, and it is more perfect than anything I could give myself.
King David knew this first-hand about God. David started out as a shepherd, and it only makes sense that he would describe his relationship with God in those terms.
See, God met David’s spiritual needs, directional needs, emotional needs, physical needs, eternal needs, and He wants to meet ours as well. I’ve made the mistake of focusing solely on God supplying for my eternal needs that I sometimes forget that He wants to provide for my daily needs as well. Especially all those times when I am carrying around a heavy heart and a weary soul.
We, as women, can become exhausted from all the demands placed upon us, and these are the exact moments that we need refreshment from the Lord.
Verses two and three reveals to us what happens when we give Him our worries and allow Him to replace them.
He lets us lie down in green pastures.
He leads us beside quiet waters.
He renews us.
Sweet friend, do you know what these verses are describing?
Peace.
True peace to uplift our heavy hearts and our weary souls.
A peace that is totally attainable.
So, friend, I want to encourage you just to focus on your Shepherd. Whatever worries, concerns, problems, or heartaches might be weighing you down today, lay them down at His feet. Go to Him and rest in the fact that your Shepherd has exactly what you need and is standing there ready to give it to you.
This is what I am choosing to do today and it is just the answer my weary soul needed.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for leading me back to You when my heart and soul start to feel overwhelmed. Thank you for reminding me that you have what I need, and I just need to run to you. Forgive me of all the times when I have tried to carry these burdens by myself. Thank you for your promise of peace and renewal. I give you my burdens and ask that you help me with what I’m struggling with. You are so good and I love you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Dig Deeper:
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11: 28 CSB
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ESV
Reflection:
What burdens are you carrying around that has your heart heavy and your soul weary?
Write your burdens down in this prayer format and be intentional about giving each of them to Jesus:
Lord – today I am struggling with _____________. Your word tells me in Psalm 23:1 that you are my shepherd and because you are my shepherd – you give me everything that I need. Please replace this burden of _______________ with your peace. I trust you Lord and know that you are faithful to keep your promises. When I start to pick up the burden of _________________, remind me that you have already given me what I need, and I don’t need to try to solve it myself. You are faithful and good, and I rest in You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Pray this prayer over each burden, worry, or concern that is weighing you down and trust Him to be faithful to give you what you need.