learning what I teach

Today's Bible study was really interesting. During the Bible study that I was conducting, I found myself actually being ministered to when I shared with the youths about the passage. Meaning, I found the lesson that I had prepared for the youths, extremely relevant for me too, and the truths in the passage started to impact me too.

Surely, this experience reminds me that it is the Spirit guiding us into all truth, and that truth is not only for those who hear, but even the one who is teaching.

I think there have been certain experiences in my life that I have been avoiding because they are  painful and uncomfortable. Yet, what I learned today through the passage of Psalm 23 was that sometimes, the paths of righteousness that the Shepherd (God) leads us through may be the valley of the shadow of death. That is to say, that when we pray that God will change us to be more like Him, the process may also be painful. And our response and hope in such situations is that the Shepherd is with us and will protect us. I often find myself running away, rather than depending on God and allowing God to change me to be more like Him through these difficult experiences.

What a reminder and challenge, yet an encouragement too.

He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me (Psalm 23:3-4)