Look To Your Shepard, When Tricky Times Come Your Way

1 Peter 5:2-4

Shepherd the flock of God among you, proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory

Jude 1:2,12,16,20,21,24
May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; These are grumblers.  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

Philippians 4:4-9
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you

    There will always be something in your life that you wish were different.  Like a sickness that you wish would just disappear, you know that without “it,” you would feel so much better.  It may be a task that you have to perform or a person or situation in your life that you can’t control.  And you just know if this one thing were different, you would be fine!  But God deals you the hand he wants you to play…every day….not just every other Tuesday.  And what He says about it all is that even though the task or the person isn’t the way you wish, He wants you to “shepard” them.  That means, whether it is a person or a situation, do your best to be a good example and to make things better.   You may not be happy about the inevitable change that has come into your life because of decisions someone else has made, or circumstances that you can’t control, but if you dwell on what or whom you can’t change, your joy will be stolen, and you will go out of the game.  So, the next time a grumbley person or tricky set of circumstances has been brought into your world, threatening to sink the love feast of your peaceful spirit, refocus your thoughts on God’s strategy or powersful perscription to ease your heart.  Dwell on anything good that He has done for you.  Keep building yourself up in the knowledge that if you ask God to restore your peace and your joy, He will.  He alone can keep you from stumbling and being hurled over the cliff into despair because He is your Shepard.  He knows your name.

Click the link below to see my books,
"Keeping Your Lamp Lit"
http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Your-Lamp-Lit-Schuler/dp/1451559321/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277386999&sr=1-1#noop
"Good Strategies for Bad Times"
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategies-Bad-Times-Schuler/dp/1438257775/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265471485&sr=8-1