I met my friend, Belinda, during Covid when the Tuesday Night Bible Study was meeting over Zoom, and she signed up to join us. I was heartbroken when I heard that she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on February 26th. Yet, at the same time, I have been encouraged by her faith as I have read her CaringBridge posts and spent time with her personally and in the Ruth Bible study in May. Her strong trust in Jesus stood out when I first met her, and it has not changed even in the face of a devastating diagnosis.
I especially loved her CaringBridge post on May 20th and asked her if I could share it here as I thought it might be a great encouragement to others who are trusting God with a path they would not choose.
Here is Belinda’s post:
Psalm 23:3 “He guides me in paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.”
As God prepared my heart for this journey, one of the places He settled me in was Psalm 23. When the doctor shared the ER findings, the very first words I spoke were, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” The Holy Spirit knew I needed to hear those words audibly to trudge the path ahead.
The doctor dismissed those precious words, but my soul affirmed that I was being led and cared for by a loving Shepherd, Father!
Since those first moments my heart has been captivated by another thought in this beautiful, comforting Psalm – He leads me in paths of righteousness. . .
I’ve read over and through it countless times, but my inquisitive mind wants to grasp its full meaning as it applies to my life right now. Could cancer be a path of righteousness?
I take great comfort in the first bold statement – He leads. In embracing the lessons of this journey, I find a solace and comfort in knowing He has led me here, is leading me, and will continue to lead me through to its end. Our human will keeps us from desiring to be led, but freedom is found within His care. Following His plans brings freedom knowing it is His presence and love that is guiding me. I could be angry, even bitter. I could scream, “This isn’t fair.” In the stillness of the first few nights, as I cried out to the Lord, the words of Jesus as He faced His own death came to me, “Lord, let this cup pass from me.” Knowing the implications of the diagnosis, I didn’t want this to be a chapter in my story. But following my cry, there came the will to submit to what He wanted, rather than what I desired for my life and family. We will never embrace the fullness of faith until we first learn to follow the Shepherd, allowing Him to lead. Trading our will, our plans for His, yields a life of joy and peace. I needed both.
He leads ME! This is personal and intimate. He guides MY life and all that happens in it. He orchestrates the events of MY path in such a personal way that they are tailor made with care and precision for me. The fact that He knows ME, cares for ME, and loves ME brings such deep assurance that enables me to rest in His plan.
He doesn’t lead randomly, He leads through and to a specific place. To paths of righteousness. The definition of righteousness is the quality of being right with God. How can I do anything that would enable me to be right before a holy God? There is nothing I can do that enables me to be worthy in His presence, yet God gives me a path to being fashioned right with Him. There is no goodness in me sufficient to be in His presence. But by gifting me with His goodness, infusing His righteousness in me can I enjoy a relationship with Him. On our own, we go our own way, we do what we think is right, using our own knowledge and wisdom in navigating our decisions and paths. We can’t even begin to orchestrate our plans in a way that enables us to be right with God. Only He can gift us in such a way so that we can one day stand before His holy presence.
Righteousness embodies fairness in the way one is dealt. Our sense of justice is skewed by our humanness. We see life only on one level, but God navigates our lives on a higher plane with greater purpose than our own comfort.
The pain in my life – the divorce of my parents, my father’s absence, betrayal, loss of significant relationships, delayed pregnancy, unfulfilled dreams, and cancer – these are the paths of righteousness God has taken me on in the last fifty-four years.
They have become paths to greater joys, richer meaning, and fulfilling purpose! They are the trails He has used and continues to use that I might bear fruit in loving Him.
Proverbs 15:9 says, “the Lord loves those who pursue righteousness.” Pursuing it is allowing Him to work in me! He is guiding me in these painful circumstances to “make known to me the path of life; in His presence there is fullness of joy; at His right and are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
He tells us “the path of righteousness is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter til the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18 His path will continue to shine until I see Him face to face.
Proverbs 12:28, “There is life in the path of righteousness, and in its path there is no death.”
The safest and best path to travel is the path the Lord leads me on – for His name’s sake. If my life is to honor Him, then it is my call to walk where He leads with grace and humility, acceptance and trust, joy and peace.
May we travel His path with confidence and assurance that He is drawing us closer to Him. And isn’t that the very place we desire to be?