The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1 ESV

I recently wrote about stress in a previous post and promised to share how things shifted for me. This is about how things were rearranged In all honesty, the day after I broke down in tears, I was set to attend a Christian women’s conference. Given how I was feeling, I definitely considered telling the rest of the crew that I wasn’t feeling well and skipping it. Praise God that I didn’t. The topic for the whole day-and-a-half-long conference was Psalm 23: God as the Good Shepherd. One of the sessions even included a live week-old lamb. God was clearly talking to me because anyone who knows me knows that I love sheep and goats.

Psalm 23 only has six verses, but it’s amazing how much you can glean from six verses. Interestingly enough, this was a psalm that I quoted almost every evening with my family before bed as a child. I’ve gotten away from that practice, and clearly, recently I’ve gotten away from holding its meaning to heart. I was a sheep who wandered away from her Shepherd and became frustrated when suddenly I felt like all my needs weren’t being met. Surprise, surprise. Thankfully, those six verses reminded me of all God does for me as the Good Shepherd. I hope they remind you as well and in the process take some unnecessary stress of your shoulders.

1. He Will Provide for You

He gives you all that you need. Notice, I didn’t say all that you want. With God, you never lack. He gives you all the energy you need to fulfill your responsibilities and task. He doesn’t bring you to new opportunities, positions, or places to make you figure it out once there. If you start feeling like you are lacking, perhaps, you’re seeking out things that you don’t need. On the other hand, you might have strayed from your Shepherd.

2. He Makes You Rest

Sometimes, God makes you stop, not because he’s angry with you, but rather, because he knows you need to slow down. Verse 2 tells us, “He makes us lie down in green pastures.” He knows that rest is essential for you to function well and prevent you from burning out. Keeping the Sabbath—a day where you rest in God and do no work—is a commandment. However, you might be treating it like a suggestion. I certainly was, and it pushed me to the end of my rope.

3. He Guides You

He leads you in his will and for his glory. If you’re leading your life, you will eventually find yourself in undesirable places asking, “How did I get here?” Like the sheep who has wandered away from the shepherd, you’ll find that life is a whole lot harder and more stressful without guidance. When you make way for him, Jesus will lead you to where you can get your needs met. He knows exactly where everything is and how to get it to you and is willing and able to give it to you. Trust in his guidance rather than your own.

4. He Will Cover You

There are so many ups and downs in life, especially while being on a university campus. At my undergraduate alma mater, it wasn’t an abnormal occurrence to hear of students being hit by cars when crossing the major street that divided two halves of campus. Consequently, I’ve heard of one occurrence where this completely derailed a student’s life. I know; it’s completely wild, isn’t it?!

Thankfully, most of us don’t have to deal with such worries, but there are plenty of other situations lying in wait to take you out and derail God’s purpose for your life. You may be dealing with bullying and ostracization, depression and anxiety, loneliness and homesickness, imposter syndrome, and so much more while on campus. Take heart! You don’t have to be afraid, because the Shepherd will protect you. He covers you as you walk through the valleys of life. so that life’s hardships don’t take you out. Thus, he will help you guard your mind against negative (and deceitful) thoughts. He will show you who your people are to be (and help you steer clear of imposters). He will give you clarity when you need it. Rest in the fact that God’s covering over your life makes all the difference.

5. He Gives You Victory

College, whether as an undergraduate or graduate student, postdoctoral trainee, or faculty member, is a battle. It requires endurance. It includes enemies, usually in the form of your insecurities, but occasionally, in the form of fellow peers and colleagues. Let’s not beat around the bush. Academia can be cutthroat, some programs and schools more so than others. Fortunately, God has already won the victory for you. He is on your side. When you trust in him, he will give you the means to be successful on the path where he has placed you.

6. He Will Walk With You Forever

Finally, you are not alone. His goodness (which is immeasurable) and his mercy (which is invaluable) are promised to be with you every single day of your life if you have Jesus as your Good Shepherd. God’s goodness gives you more than you deserve while his mercy pardons you from what you do deserve. In him, you are overwhelmingly blessed!

So there’s no need to stress when you embrace God as your Good Shepherd. Allow him to give you provision, rest, security, and guidance, rather than striving beyond your capacity and doing more than you need to be.