get on the right path

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 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. Psalm 23:1-4

Your life can go down many different paths.

• Some paths are obviously wrong and lead to very bad places.

• Some paths appear to be right but are still wrong (Proverbs 14:12).

• Some paths are right for a while, until the road forks and a wrong choice takes you far from God.

If your heart desires to be on the right path, your ears will perk up a little when you hear, “He leads me in paths of righteousness” (Psalm 23:3).

God himself is highly interested in your being on the path that produces righteousness. Psalm 37:23 tells us that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Aren't you glad that submission to God will keep you heading the right way? “I want that!” you say. “How do I get on the right path?"

Now, there's a lot of confusion about the issue of knowing God's will, but I can give you some signposts. First of all, God's Word lights your path; it gives direction. It promises to be a beacon to you in really dark places. Are you reading it on a regular basis? You'll not wander far from God's will if you get into God's Word each day (Psalm 119:105).

Second, godly counsel will help you discern the right path. Ask wise people—spiritually mature people you respect—which direction to take. But what if they tell me to do something I don't want to do? Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice."

Third, Philippians 2:13 reveals that God works in us by his Spirit. But if we're not reading God's Word and seeking godly advice, we're not giving the Spirit very much to work with. God's not going to tell us to do something that's contrary to his Word. When we get all three in sync, we can say from our heart, “He leads me in paths of righteousness." —James MacDonald walkintheword.com

seeking: Father, what has your Spirit just shown me? How will I respond to your voice?

responding: Am I on a path that will produce righteousness? • What evidence of my going the right way can be seen in my life? • Have I applied biblical principles to the decisions I'm making? Sought wise counsel? Responded to the Spirit's leading?

From now on, Lord, I want to be much slower to launch out on my own, much quicker to kneel down, and more consistent in laying hold of the plentiful resources you've given me to direct my path.

following: Get on the path that leads to righteousness.

our journey