“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3a (NIV)
I didn’t need more food. Or more coffee. Or another perfectly highlighted Bible study plan.
What I needed was rest. Real rest. The kind of rest you can’t fake or force.
Instead, I stood in front of the pantry again, not because I was physically hungry but because something deep inside me felt … hollow.
That’s what I do when I’m depleted. I reach for things that promise quick comfort but never satisfy. Eating. Scrolling. Overdoing. Overthinking. Trying to be everything for everyone.
That day, I sensed the Lord inviting me to pause and reach for Scripture before reaching for anything else. And Psalm 23:2-3a met me right there:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes try to skip right past those green pastures.
Too much to do. Too many people to hold up. Too many expectations.
But this verse doesn’t say we make ourselves lie down or figure out how to be refreshed. It says God, our Shepherd, does it.
He makes us lie down. He leads us to peace. He refreshes our souls.
It’s grace. Pure grace.
Maybe your depletion doesn’t look like mine. Perhaps you’re not standing in front of a pantry but in the middle of a life that feels stretched too thin. Maybe you’ve believed that strength looks like pushing through and pretending everything’s fine.
But, friend, we aren’t machines that just need more fuel or better productivity habits. We’re souls who need daily nourishment — and Jesus knows that.
Today, if you’re exhausted from trying to hold it all together, can I offer you a gentle invitation? Let the Shepherd hold you instead. Let Him lead you away from the noise and into His presence.
Not because you’ve earned it. Not because you’ve figured it all out. But simply because He loves you and wants to nourish you with something deeper than this world can offer.
His grace isn’t a reward for the strong — it’s a refuge for the worn-out.
And that means there’s room for you.
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, slow us down when we want to rush, and quiet our souls when the noise feels safer than stillness. Lead us to the rest only You can give, rest that isn’t earned but just received. Refresh what’s worn thin, restore what’s run dry, and help us trust You enough to lie down in Your care. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Jane Hanna Stoudt, the author of today’s devotion, is a member of COMPEL Pro Writers Training and a winner of our Encouragement for Today Devotion Writing Challenge. We’re celebrating her faithful growth as a writer and her desire to help women draw closer to Jesus in their everyday lives.
Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (NIV).
1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (NIV).
What “quick comforts” do you tend to reach for when your soul feels depleted? What might it look like to pause and bring your needs to Jesus instead?
What would it mean for you personally to let the Shepherd lead rather than pushing yourself to keep going in your own strength? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2026 by Jane Hanna Stoudt. All rights reserved.
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