i now know

What my picture means. The vision God gave me a couple of Sundays ago after I had a week of being utterly frustrated with myself and everything around me and breaking down. I painted this the week after.

I just found this study on Psalm 23, in particular, comments on the second verse "He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet (or still) waters. The Psalm goes on to say "He restores my soul".

I used to wonder why the verse used the word "make" as if we're being forced. But now I look at it this way - that God is intentionally taking us away from our busy days filled with anxiety, worry, stress, weariness and half-hearted living, and placing us where there is His uncorrupted peace, not the world's peace. Where we can rest because it's a perfect place - not too hot, not too cold, not dreary. And its safe. So we're safe. And He's there unobtrusively so we feel neither pressured or imposed on, nor lonely. He's our listening ear, our shoulder to lean on and when we need it, He gives us space. And it's there that we can finally breathe and think clearly, and dream again.

We are restored and refreshed by the cool water that flows along quietly (the waterfall is meant to be in the far distance plus I like shushing sounds of falling water). He leads us there in the midst of trouble. For others, a hiding place and safe refuge may not be an open field. It may be an entirely different picture. And that's ok. Whatever you envisage as a truly peaceful place where you are free probably works.

I often resist God and His leading because I am doubtful of where He will bring me or what He will allow me to go through in life. But the thing is He doesn't do anything to hurt me. People sometimes say God is interested in our character more than in our comfort, in explaining why we face difficult situations. The reasoning is, He is maturing us in our character while bringing us through a season that can give us a new and deeper perspective of who God is.

On the outset it seems cruel or plain frightening, but many have shared of how it was during adversity that they experienced God more powerfully and personally. That it was then they found true peace, joy and hope. And a greater understanding and love for God. As it was only then they realised they could trust Him fully and not lean on the things around them to feel certain about themselves and their future. Only then did they come to a realisation they did not need anything else to have joy and fulfilment.

What I like about the bible study (if you clicked on the second link) is that the writer tells us to check scripture for ourselves and prove what is being said. To not simply take the word of any preacher or bible commentator but to do our own study as well such that we get a more wholistic picture.