HOW TO OVERCOME PAIN FROM THE PAST
Sep 10, 2018
Everyone of us have probably been hurt and we have hurt someone else. Because hurting people often hurt other people. Sometimes we are even hurt by those who are close to us. But when I realized that Jesus is my Good Shepherd I now have confidence that even if people do or say hurtful things to me I’m ok because I have a relationship with Jesus who declares that He is my Good Shepherd. People may come and go out of our life but Jesus promises that He will never leave us or forsake us!
The Bible often refers to Jesus as a shepherd and to us as His flock. Let’s talk about what that means for us.
The shepherd served as the door to the sheepfold. He stood guard there during the day, and he slept across the threshold at night, making sure the sheep stayed where they were supposed to be and the thieves and wild beasts kept away from his precious flock. This is what Jesus was trying to explain to the Pharisees in John 10 about who He was—and who He is to us.
He is our protector, putting Himself between us and those who want to harm us. He is also standing guard over us to keep us from wandering away from safety.
In John, Jesus lists two specific things the Good Shepherd does:
1) He sacrifices Himself for His sheep to protect them from attacks.
2) He knows His sheep—how many there are, what they need, and when they have wandered away.
This is what it means to be saved by the Good Shepherd. He looks after our every need. And if you trust Him to guide you, He will make sure your needs are met.
John 10:14-16 (NLT) I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
