HOW HE LEADS | Pastor Jay Rice | The Lord is My Shepherd series

Devotional

Day 1: When Righteous Paths Lead Through Dark Valleys

The shepherd’s “paths of righteousness” sometimes wind through shadowed valleys. God’s guidance doesn’t avoid hardship but equips believers to walk through it. David’s psalm shifts abruptly from green pastures to death’s valley, revealing that obedience often involves enduring what we’d never choose. This tension invites trust in God’s purpose over our comfort. His glory shines brightest when our faithfulness collides with life’s inexplicable pain. [40:32]

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Psalm 23:3–4, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you assumed faithfulness should lead to ease? How might God be inviting you to trust His presence more than a pain-free path?

Day 2: Walking, Not Running, Through Fear’s Haunted Forest

Fear triggers our instinct to flee, but God’s presence enables steady steps. Like those unshaken in a haunted forest, believers walk valleys knowing their Shepherd’s rod defends them. The psalm’s “I walk” defies panic, anchoring confidence in God’s proven care. True peace isn’t the absence of terror but the presence of the One who dismantles its power. [51:00]

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

Reflection: What situation tempts you to run rather than walk? How would clinging to God’s “righteous right hand” change your posture today?

Day 3: Valleys Are Hallways, Not Homes

The psalmist walks “through” the valley—never stopping to build a cabin there. God uses trials as corridors to deeper dependence, not final destinations. Like Paul’s “light momentary affliction,” valleys train our eyes on eternal glory. What overwhelms today becomes tomorrow’s testimony of carried grace. [54:56]

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you mistaken a hallway for a home? What eternal reality could reframe your view of this season?

Day 4: From “Why Me?” to “What For?”

When suffering defies explanation, God redirects our questions. Jesus redefined the blind man’s lifelong struggle as a canvas for divine glory. Like the pastor’s daughter’s condition, some valleys exist to showcase God’s sustaining power, not punish our failures. Trust shifts focus from cause to purpose. [46:07]

“Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” (John 9:3, ESV)

Reflection: What “why” question have you been wrestling with? How might asking “what for” open your eyes to God’s work?

Day 5: The Table Set in Death’s Shadow

Communion remembers Christ’s valley—the cross—where horror became hope. The cup overflows not despite the valley but because of it. Every Sunday’s bread and wine declare that our darkest walks are overseen by a Shepherd who transformed history’s worst Friday into Easter’s dawn. [01:01:25]

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’” (Luke 22:19–20, ESV)

Reflection: How does Christ’s journey through death’s valley strengthen your trust in His companionship today?

Sermon Summary

God is moving in real, practical ways, even in a season that could have made a church shrink back and circle the wagons. God’s care shows up in expanded ministry, like a food pantry growing from two days to three, because the shepherd does not merely comfort his people privately, he sends provision into the backyard of a community.

Psalm 23 then takes that familiar comfort and refuses to leave it as a children’s board book or a funeral reading that gives no offense to anyone. The words are simple enough for a child to read, but the theology is not lightweight. David’s opening picture sounds like everything the human heart wants from God: green pastures, still waters, restored souls, enough provision, no lack. The Lord truly is the shepherd who feeds, leads, restores, and guides for his name’s sake.

Verse 4, though, brings the surprise. The righteous path does not always avoid the valley. David places “paths of righteousness” right next to “the valley of the shadow of death,” and that means the shepherd may intentionally lead his sheep into hard places. Human consequences make sense when sin or foolishness brings pain, but Psalm 23 presses into the harder question: what happens when faithfulness still leads into suffering?

John 9 gives the same answer. Jesus looks at the man born blind and rejects the easy assumption that someone must have sinned. Jesus says the man’s suffering exists so that the works of God might be displayed in him. The question shifts from only “Why?” to “What for?” God may be doing something deeper than the sufferer can see in the moment.

Psalm 23 also says the sheep can walk. Fear wants to scream and run, like somebody chased through a haunted forest, but God’s presence gives steady feet. The sheep can walk because the shepherd is with them, because the Father is there like a dad catching a child jumping into the pool.

The word “through” matters. The valley is not the destination. Paul calls present affliction light and momentary beside the eternal weight of glory. Christ shows this most clearly: his sorrow, betrayal, and cross were not the end, because his sorrow turned to joy. The cross proves that God can take the darkest valley and bring grace on the other side.

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Key Takeaways

1. Righteous paths can enter valleys [40:53] God’s guidance is not proven false when the road gets dark. Psalm 23 places righteousness and the valley side by side, which means obedience may lead into suffering rather than around it. The shepherd’s path is not always the easy path, but it is still his path, and his name is still at stake in it. [40:53]
2. Ask what for, not only why [46:07] The cry of “why” is honest, and Scripture does not shame that ache. Yet John 9 opens another question, because Jesus says suffering can become a place where the works of God are displayed. The question “what for” does not solve every pain, but it turns the sufferer’s eyes toward God’s hidden purpose instead of only toward the wound. [46:07]
3. God’s presence gives steady feet [51:31] Fear makes the heart want to run, panic, and get out as fast as possible. David says the sheep can walk, not because the valley is harmless, but because the shepherd is near. Peace is not pretending the chainsaw has no sound, but knowing the Father is there and fear does not get the final word. [51:31]
4. The valley is not home [54:42] Psalm 23 says “through,” and that little word carries a huge promise. The valley may be part of the journey, but it is not the destination God has prepared. Present affliction may feel heavy in the moment, but it is not worth comparing with the glory God will reveal. [54:42]
5. Christ turned sorrow into joy [59:46] Jesus knew the cross would make his disciples weep while the world rejoiced. He also knew the valley of the cross was leading to resurrection, mercy, and restored relationship with the Father. The table of communion remembers that God’s greatest grace came through the darkest road.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:08] - Food Pantry Expands to Sundays
[32:27] - Returning to Psalm 23
[33:04] - Psalm 23 Read Aloud
[35:23] - Why Psalm 23 Feels Familiar
[39:12] - The Surprise in Verse Four
[40:53] - Righteous Paths Through Valleys
[43:04] - Faithfulness and Hard Questions
[47:09] - John 9 and God’s Works Displayed
[48:28] - Even in the Valley, Walk
[54:21] - Through Means Not the Destination
[57:45] - Jesus Goes Through the Valley
[61:25] - Communion and the Cross
[71:02] - God Does Not Fail

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Psalm 23:4 (ESV)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

John 9:1-3 (ESV)
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Observation Questions

Psalm 23:4 connects “paths of righteousness” with walking through a valley. What specific words or phrases in this verse show that difficulty and God’s guidance coexist?
In John 9:1-3, how does Jesus reframe the disciples’ assumption about the cause of suffering? What does He say is the purpose of the man’s blindness? [47:09]
The sermon mentions that the word “through” in Psalm 23:4 is intentional. What does this word imply about the duration and outcome of the valley experience? [54:42]
What example from everyday life (like the haunted forest story) illustrates how fear can make people react versus how God’s presence enables steady steps? [51:31]

Interpretation Questions

Why might God intentionally lead His people into “valleys” even when they are walking in obedience? How does this challenge common assumptions about suffering?
Jesus says the blind man’s suffering exists “that the works of God might be displayed in him.” How does this shift the focus from blaming to purpose? What does this reveal about God’s character?
The sermon contrasts asking “why?” with asking “what for?” in suffering. How do these questions lead to different perspectives on hardship? [46:07]
Psalm 23:4 says, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” How does God’s presence specifically address the human tendency to panic or flee in hard times?

Application Questions

Describe a current or past “valley” you’ve walked through. How might this experience align with the idea of God leading you on a “righteous path” rather than avoiding difficulty?
When facing suffering, do you tend to ask “why?” or “what for?” What practical step could help you focus more on God’s purpose in the struggle? [46:07]
The sermon compares God’s presence to a parent catching a child jumping into a pool. What tangible habit or practice could remind you of God’s nearness when fear arises?
How might the truth that “the valley is not home” change the way you approach a ongoing challenge? What hope does this provide? [54:42]
The food pantry expansion example shows God’s provision in hard seasons. Where have you seen God provide unexpectedly in your life or community during a valley? How does this strengthen trust? [31:08]
Jesus’ cross turned sorrow to joy. What area of your life needs this perspective shift? How can you actively “look to the cross” when your valley feels overwhelming? [59:46]

Sermon Clips

50s

#EvenThoughIWalk

“``There's an even greater promise to you. Even beyond all that, as great as all of that is, there's even more. Look back at verse verse four, Psalm 23. It says, even though I walk, and then it uses this word. It's a very specific word. Even though I walk through the valley. Notice it doesn't say the valley. This is easy to miss. It's really subtle. And sometimes we read so fast, we overlook it. But look, this is huge. Even though I walk through the valley, God's trying to tell us something. He's trying to communicate to us. He's trying to tell us that the valley is not the destination. The valley is part of the journey, but guess what? There's light on the other side.”

40s

#ShepherdsPresence

“God is with you, and he is upholding you with his righteous right hand. You are his son. You are his daughter. You have been adopted into the family. You're not just a servant on the outside looking in. You're not a slave in the in the household. No. You're a son. You're a daughter. You have an inheritance. God is walking with you. He's taking care of you even though it's hard, even though it may not make sense. Guess what? Even though you walk through the valley, you can walk through the valley and have no fear.”

40s

#WalkThroughTheValley

“God has promised that this that he is going to bring us through the valley. The valley is not the end. What you're struggling with right now is not the end. It's not the end all be all of your existence. You get to walk not just into the valley, you get to walk through it to the other side because Christ is with you. Because Jesus is walking with you. He's not looking around going, oh, no. What do we do? We're lost. Where do we go? Oh, no. He's taking you on this path, but he's walking you through it to bring you out on the other side.”

45s

#CalledThroughTheValley

“And what the Psalm is communicating, and this is hard. I try believe me, this is tough. But what David is trying to say is that sometimes those paths of righteousness that the shepherd is leading you down, sometimes those paths that God has intentionally called you to walk, sometimes the righteous path of God is in right through the valley of the shadow of death. Sometimes God calls you to that valley. Sometimes God says, this is the path I want you to walk even when it's hard.”

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HOW HE LEADS | Pastor Jay Rice | The Lord is My Shepherd series | 7.12.26