The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
- from Psalm 23:1

What a bold assertion for David to make! “I lack nothing.” How many of us can or would make an assertion like that?

In today’s passage, David stands in awe of the all-encompassing nature of God’s provision and protection. We know from the biographies of David that we find in the Bible that David did struggle to believe in God’s provision and protection at some points in his life. We even hear it in some of David’s psalms.

The same David who here sings “I lack nothing” elsewhere cried out for God’s help, rescue, protection, provision, forgiveness and attention. Maybe some of us are in a similar spot today.

There’s a slippery path ahead of us. Our attention is drawn to something that we lack. Instead of saying “I lack nothing,” we begin to say “I lack something.” And before we know it our “I lack something” and “I lack everything.” Our eyes are blinded to the provision and protection provided to us by our Good Shepherd.

How do we move through seasons like this?

One step we can take is to shift gears and go back from “I lack everything” to “I have been blessed with something.” It could be anything: a house, a car, a dog, a job, a friend, a good meal, a flower or a rainbow. This reverses our slide. And although we may not be able, at this point, to say “I lack nothing,” we may discover that our Good Shepherd has given us enough to make it through today.

Ask yourself today: What do I have? What have I been given? What can I be thankful for? Choose for yourself where you’ll place your focus. And then, when you’re ready, ask your Good Shepherd to give you whatever it is you find yourself lacking.