John 10:7-11a – “So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly…I am the good shepherd.”

As the busyness of this week begins to unfold and life begins to take shape and form from every which direction, you need to remember that you have a good Shepard, in God. You need to know that you are loved, protected and never alone in your day-to-day experiences in life. Of course in our natural minds it feels as if we are all alone, stranded on a deserted island. But the reality is, you are not alone.

I know it seems like whenever you start making even a small bit of progress in your personal journey that roadblocks, delays and obstacles begin to surface, either to stop you, or to slow you down. Some of these obstacles may be fears of the unknown, feelings of being overwhelmed, past hurts, feeling unqualified or perhaps that life is just too difficult and plain “not worth it.”

If we see these obstacles from this perspective, it’s because we’re looking at them naturally, not Spiritually. The truth is that none of those obstacles can stop you from being everything God called you to be within yourself, within your family or within your community. Are giants, obstacles and mountains real? Yes. We all have individual giants, obstacles and mountains in our lives that we have to face – but the GREAT thing is that we’re not facing these obstacles alone. We have a good Shepherd with us, to guide us, help us and in some cases remove those obstacles completely and do all of the heavy-lifting for us.

So while you may feel all alone, incapable or afraid, the true reality is you are not alone. Our Shepherd is right there alongside you, helping you each step of the way. With this reality in the front of your mind (and not in back of your mind), you can move forward in all that’s before you, knowing, believing and trusting God is with you, helping you and empowering you along the way.

Don’t back down! Never give up! Never fear! You have a good Shepherd, in God, who is ALWAYS with you – you are never alone.

About the Author

Pastor Eric Todd Sr. is the son of Rev. and Mrs. Charles L. Todd and is the eldest of four children. As an adolescent and young adult, Eric was actively involved in numerous church related activities of servitude, such as, being a Youth Mentor, Outreach Coordinator, Youth Leader and an Ordained Elder. Since accepting his calling and ordination, Eric has held the positions of Executive Pastor, Youth Minister and served on the Finance Committee of the church. Some of Eric’s current social involvements include Students First of Georgia, Real Men Read of Atlanta and The Atlanta Mission-Ending Homelessness.