Psalm 23:2 - Green Pastures and Still Waters from the Lord.
Psalm 23:2 (KJV) He maketh me to lie down in
green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still
waters.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Gods Remedy for Your Emotional Exhaustion
What should you do when youre
emotionally exhausted?
When the Prophet Elijah faced emotional
exhaustion, God led him to do three things that helped
him recover"and theyre things that can help
you recover, too, when youre at the end of
your rope.
1. Rest your body. In the worlds most
famous psalm, the Bible says of God, He makes me
lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2 NIV).
Sometimes God has to make you lie down because
youre unwilling to do it on your own. You cant
be spiritually and emotionally strong while
youre physically depleted.
Thats what happened to Elijah. God did
not scold Elijah. God didnt say, Come on,
man. Youre just having a pity party. He
simply let Elijah sleep. The Bible says about
Elijah: Then he lay down under the bush and fell
asleep (1 Kings 19:5 NIV).
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you
can do when youre emotionally exhausted is to
take a nap.
2. Release your frustrations. Revealing
your feeling is the beginning of healing. In 1
Kings 19:10, Elijah says this to God: I have
been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The
Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your
altars, and put your prophets to death with the
sword. I am the only one left, and now they are
trying to kill me too (NIV).
Elijah didnt hold anything back. He
didnt filter his feelings. Instead, he told God
his frustrations.
Heres the point you cant miss about
this verse: God isnt shocked when you complain
to him; hell listen to you until you run out
of words. Let them all out. God can handle
anything you throw at him.
3. Remember and refocus on God. When
youre emotionally exhausted and approaching
burnout, you need to remember what God says and who
he is. When you do that, you shift your eyes
away from your problem and toward Jesus. You get
a fresh awareness of Gods power, Gods
presence, and Gods personality. You need to see God
far more than you need to see your problems.
If you read 1 Kings 19:11-13, youll
see how God demonstrated his power firsthand to
Elijah. The Lord showed him who was in control. When
youre struggling through burnout, its often
because youre trying to play God and control
everything. When you refocus on God, you realize he is
in control " and you stop trying to exert
your own control.
If youre feeling burned out and
emotionally exhausted, God hasnt forgotten you. Just
like God did with Elijah, God stands ready and
willing to help you. [Daily Devotional by Rick
Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. The
Christian life has two elements in it, the
contemplative and the active, and both of these are richly
provided for. First, the contemplative.
He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. WHAT ARE THESE "GREEN PASTURES" BUT THE
SCRIPTURES OF TRUTH -- ALWAYS FRESH, ALWAYS RICH, AND
NEVER EXHAUSTED? There is no fear of biting the
bare ground where the grass is long enough for
the flock to lie down in it. Sweet and full are
the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls,
as tender grass is natural nutriment for sheep.
When by faith we are enabled to find rest in the
promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the
midst of the pasture; we find at the same moment
both provender and peace, rest and refreshment,
serenity and satisfaction. But observe: "He maketh me
to lie down." It is the Lord who graciously
enables us to perceive the preciousness of his
truth, and to feed upon it. How grateful ought we
to be for the power to appropriate the
promises! There are some distracted souls who would
give worlds if they could but do this. They know
the blessedness of it, but they cannot say that
this blessedness is theirs. They know the "green
pastures", but they are not made to "lie down" in them.
Those believers who have for years enjoyed a "full
assurance of faith" should greatly bless their
gracious God.
The second part of a vigorous Christian's
life consists in gracious activity. We not only
think, but we act. We are not always lying down to
feed, but are journeying onward toward perfection;
hence we read, he leadeth me beside the still
waters. WHAT ARE THESE "STILL WATERS" BUT THE
INFLUENCES AND GRACES OF HIS BLESSED SPIRIT? HIS SPIRIT
ATTENDS US IN VARIOUS OPERATIONS, LIKE WATERS -- IN
THE PLURAL -- TO CLEANSE, TO REFRESH, TO
FERTILISE, TO CHERISH. THEY ARE "STILL WATERS", FOR THE
HOLY GHOST LOVES PEACE, AND SOUNDS NO TRUMPET OF
OSTENTATION IN HIS OPERATIONS. He may flow into our
soul, but not into our neighbour's, and therefore
our neighbour may not perceive the divine
presence; and though the blessed Spirit may be pouring
his floods into one heart, yet he that sitteth
next to the favoured one may know nothing of it.
"In sacred silence of the mind My heaven,
and there my God I find."
Still waters run deep. Nothing more noisy
than an empty drum. That silence is golden indeed
in which the Holy Spirit meets with the souls
of his saints. Not to raging waves of strife,
but to peaceful streams of holy love does the
Spirit of God conduct the chosen sheep. He is a
dove, not an eagle; the dew, not the hurricane.
Our Lord leads us beside these "still waters;"
we could not go there of ourselves, we need his
guidance, therefore it is said, "he leadeth me." He
does not drive us. Moses drives us by the law,
but Jesus leads us by his example, and the
gentle drawing of his love.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/treasury-of-david/psalms-23-2.html
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Psalm 23:2 - Green Pastures and Still Waters
from the Lord.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210129-1030.html
Psalm 23:2 - One Of The Crown Jewels Of
Scripture - verse 2.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2003/20030206-0945.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
