February 7: The Good Shepherd
John 10:11 (ESV)
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
Read The Full Devotional Below.
The Moment My World Collapsed
I remember it as clear as day—the moment everything I thought was secure crumbled beneath me. It happened in an instant, like an illusion vanishing before my eyes. One moment, I was convinced I had built a life on stable ground. The next, I realized that ground was nothing more than shifting sand.
For years, my marriage was shaky, but I refused to see the cracks. Chasing worldly success had put ego-driven blinders over my eyes, giving me the illusion of control. I was so laser-focused on my ambitions that I neglected the very thing God had entrusted to me—my family. It was like riding at full speed toward a goal, unaware that the foundation beneath me was disintegrating with every step. And then, one day, I felt it in my gut: my family was about to be uprooted and dismantled.
The weeks that followed were a blur of emotions—numb days and gut-wrenching nights. I sat alone in an empty house, haunted by the quiet that replaced the laughter of my children. I knew they were sleeping in another man’s home, and there was nothing I could do but wait for my turn to have them back. There is no pain in this world quite like being separated from your children, knowing they need you, and yet being unable to be there for them every night. The weight of that grief crushed me.
In those nights of solitude, there was no bottle to drown in, no escape to numb the pain. There was only me—broken, emptied of pride, with nothing left but the desperation to cry out to God. And I did. Not with polished prayers, not with eloquent words, but with raw, pleading whispers in the darkness.
It was in those moments of absolute despair that I felt God’s presence like never before. I had known about Him my whole life, believed in Him, even talked to Him. But this was different. This wasn’t me reaching out to a distant deity; this was me collapsing into the arms of the Father. And He was there. I could feel Him in the silence, in the steadying of my breath, in the strength that somehow found its way back into my bones when I had none left of my own.
The Shepherd in the Valley
Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd. Not just any shepherd—the Good Shepherd. The one who doesn’t run when the wolves come, who doesn’t abandon His sheep to fend for themselves. No, He lays down His life for them. He stays. He protects. He guides.
In those dark nights, when I felt surrounded by wolves—guilt, regret, anger, loneliness—it was the voice of the Good Shepherd that cut through the chaos. He reminded me that I wasn’t alone. That He hadn’t left me to figure it all out on my own. That even though I had failed in ways that haunted me, His love was unwavering.
The beauty of John 10:11 is that Jesus doesn’t just claim to be a shepherd; He declares Himself the Good Shepherd. He is not indifferent. He is not passive. He doesn’t merely herd us along from a distance—He lays down His life for us. That’s the kind of shepherd He is. He isn’t just leading us; He’s rescuing us.
Learning to Follow
Looking back, I see that those nights of crying out to God weren’t just about my pain. They were about unlearning the lie that I had to be in control. They were about learning what it meant to follow.
A shepherd doesn’t just stand and watch while his sheep wander aimlessly. He calls them. He leads them. And the sheep learn to trust His voice.
That was the shift in my heart—I stopped running ahead, stopped trying to force my own way, and started listening for His voice. I started following, even when I didn’t know where He was leading. And step by step, He walked me through the valley. Not around it. Not above it. But through it.
Finding Strength in His Presence
If you are in a season where the wolves feel close—if you’re staring into the darkness, wondering if God is even there—I need you to know this: He is. You may not feel it yet. You may not see the way forward. But the Good Shepherd never leaves His sheep.
Maybe you’ve been fighting to hold everything together. Maybe you’ve been trying to outrun the pain, the failure, the fear. But what if the very thing you’re trying to escape is the place where God is waiting to meet you? What if the valley isn’t proof that He’s left, but the very place where He’s carrying you?
I wouldn’t have chosen the pain I walked through, but I wouldn’t trade what I gained in it for anything. Because in that valley, I found my Shepherd. And once you truly experience the love of the Good Shepherd, you will never be the same.
A Prayer for the Lost Sheep
Father, I thank You for being my Shepherd. When I was lost, You pursued me. When I was broken, You carried me. And when I had nothing left, You were my everything. Lord, for those who are feeling lost today, remind them that they are never out of Your sight. Help them to hear Your voice, to trust in Your leading, and to rest in the security of Your love. Thank You, Jesus, for laying down Your life for us—for proving that no valley is too dark for Your light to reach. We love You. Amen.
Walking with the Shepherd
Take time today to sit with this truth: Jesus is not only a Shepherd; He is the Good Shepherd. He sees you. He knows you. And He will never leave you. Let His voice lead you, even when the path seems uncertain.
And if you’re struggling to hear Him, don’t stop seeking. His voice is always calling. You are His, and He is never far.
Faith Challenge: Spend five minutes today in stillness, simply asking God to help you hear His voice. Write down what you sense in your heart. He is speaking. Are you listening?
An Invitation to go Deeper….
Join the FaithLabz 30-Day Prayer Challenge, where we seek God daily and learn to trust His plans. Let’s walk this journey of faith together!
