He leads me: God leads me. I don't lead Him; He is the one in control. I recently read the book, "The Good Life" by Trip Lee, and one point that really struck me was my misperception of faith. While I don't like to admit it, I really think faith is believing that God will give me what I want. I know He promises to supply all my needs, but I like to interpret "needs" to include "wants and desires" too. So when God doesn't deliver my dreams, goals, etc., I see that as a flaw in His faithfulness to me. I'm leading and asking Him to follow. It doesn't work that way. God calls me to take up my cross (die to myself) and follow Him in whatever way that may look like and wherever that may lead. But He does tell us where that may lead.
leads me in paths of righteousness: God leads me in paths of holiness and maturity. It doesn't say "He leads me to paths of comfort, prosperity, or on the path I think I should take." He leads me on paths that will form me more into the image of His Son. And guess what happens when we reflect the Son of God? We have joy, not temporary and unsatisfying happiness, but true joy. God is about my joy. These paths that I see as pure struggle and full of tears and discomfort are leading me to a place where I will be fully satisfied in a good God. Now that is encouraging! And outside of my joy, what is the reason for my makeover process?
for His name sake: God is about His glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 gives us a clear picture of what we are to do in this world: give glory to God. The sole reason, my ONLY purpose in this life is to glorify God. God is about His own glory. because there is nothing greater, nothing more lovely, nor more sovereign than Himself. If He were about the glory of something greater than Himself, He wouldn't be God.
So God leads me on paths that will lead to my ultimate joy and fulfillment in life, so He can allow me to do my one and only purpose of glorifying the God of the universe. Pretty cool.
