Sitting at the Shepherd’s Table
In one of her most personal episodes yet, Diana opens her heart about the devastating loss of her daughter and the painful canyon that formed between her and God in the aftermath. Misunderstanding God’s character, believing lies from the enemy, and trying to navigate suffering in her own strength led her down paths God never designed for her to walk.
Through the revelation of Psalm 23, the teachings of Pastor Alexa, and the tender guidance of the Holy Spirit, Diana discovers the life-changing truth that God had a table prepared for her all along—set with provision, comfort, nourishment, and love—even in the presence of death, grief, fear, and doubt.
This episode will help you recognize when pride—not defiance, but self-reliance—pulls you off the path of peace, and how choosing humility, trust, and intimacy with the Shepherd brings restoration, clarity, and rest for your soul. If your heart has ever felt jaded, weary, or misled by pain, this message will help you find your seat at the table again.
Diana’s Notes
Series: “Our Identity in His Greatness: Continuing The Long Road to Healing and Humility”
Hello everybody!!! And welcome to today’s episode, sitting at the Shepherd’s Table as we continue this series on learning to find our identity in His Greatness- and we continue the long road to healing and humility -here on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
In the previous episode, I shared a little about the death of my daughter and the severe canyon that manifested between God and me out of my pain, anger, shock, and disbelief; a tragic misunderstanding of who I thought God was. And who I thought I was to Him.
My perspective back then was shaped by the misguidance of God being angry with me. He wasn’t then. He isn’t now. He never was or will be. The difference in my relationship with Him now is as vast as that canyon was that once separated me from Him.
He taught me how to endure with patient steadfastness, to become unwavering in the journey of getting back on the right path for my life.
It is my belief through personal experience that we can walk a much more difficult path than we need to when we mistakenly believe that we have everything or everyone under our control! Or that our opinion about something is more important than someone else’s, who may have a different opinion than we do.
When we walk around highly opinionated and easily offended by differences in other people, we are walking in pride, not love. Not peace. It isn't a strength in our character; it is a weakness.
Meekness is not weakness.
If we are not careful, and if we can’t come to the end of our own pride and simply yield to the sovereignty of who God is, then we will find ourselves in battles, in paths of wilderness and deep canyons He never intended for us to travel on.
I couldn’t come to God’s table that He personally set for me in the presence of my enemies. In this case, the enemy was death.
Death came and stole my daughter from me, but God was not unprepared. He knew it was coming. He had me. He set a table of grace and tenderness and His deepest love for me, but I couldn’t see it because the pain overshadowed my faith. I was in a spiritual shock and did not have a shepherd to lead me on the right path, so that this tragedy in life did not take me down.
Rather than clinging to faith and refusing to believe God was against me, which is a lie, I was fooled into believing a lie from my adversary and your adversary- the Devil. Satan, the father of lies. Lucifer. Morning Star. Listen to:
Isaiah 14:12-14: (AMP) “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning [light-bringer], son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, you who have weakened the nations [king of Babylon]! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the remote parts of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
How did the morning star, the shining one, light bearer, fall from heaven? Cast out by God. Pride. “I”, “I”, “I”
I will, I will, I will … I will make myself like the Most High.
It is only when we fix our eyes on Jesus, letting go of self-centered prideful thinking, which transmits everything in life through our jaded, limited, shallow perspective; rather than trusting in the Most High God, trusting in His advantagepoint that we can truly have victory over every evil thing that comes against us, and it is in trusting in Jesus that helps us to keep from following the counterfeit light of Satan, which will always lead us further and further away from God’s good plan and path for our lives.
Was my pain prideful? NO! Our emotions were given to us by God as an incredible gift so we could feel, sense, and experience life.
But our emotions can be used by our enemy to lure us off on a dark path away from Truth if we are not careful, pay attention, and know God’s truth.
Pride in my sorrow came when I did not surrender to trusting God would get me through this and that my daughter was safe in His hands. Instead, I pulled away. Which is a natural reflex, but when we are God’s children, the natural is never our reflex. We walk in the supernatural presence of God in our lives.
Anything other than following the teachings of Jesus will lead you further and further away from God and His perfected path for your personal life.
In a recent message, Pastor Alexa spoke on the 23rd Psalm and how we can easily slip into boredom if we are not careful, because it is such a familiar verse. Even if we don’t have it fully memorized, most people are at least comfortable with the sentiment of it , can quote a line or two and like Pastor Alexa said, seen it knitted on a pillow or embroidered into a picture that hangs on a wall, maybe in our grandmother's house. LOL
But the words “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”… are, if nothing else, common to the world.
The 23rd Psalm is the scripture with the image of a Shepherd guiding a little lamb in the program of my daughter’s funeral.
I was familiar with the 23rd Psalm then, and over the past year, the Lord has been encouraging me in studying it and writing it on the tablet of my heart. There was something more in there that He was trying to get to me.
So, I read it. You know what I mean, I simply read it like reading a restaurant menu. I didn't experience it. I didn’t pray beforehand and ask Him to reveal to me what He wanted me to graze upon in the pasture of His word.
And that is what God’s word is meant for. To be experienced. Swallowed, Eaten, Digested, Devoured, Nourished on, and Flourish from.
Let’s pause and read the 23rd Psalm (NIV):
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
3 He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
They comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
The Living Word is our Daily Bread! Without it, we will not have a good source of substance to get through our day. We will be sluggish, tired, overwhelmed, and underprepared.
Remember this motto we have been speaking about?: When you learn to wait well, you live well. We’ve been speaking about it a lot lately.
What am I saying, “When we learn to wait”?
Well, Pastor Alexa touched on something and did an illustration in one of her messages that really captured my attention.
She had a table set …….. With plates, glasses, food, bread, water, oil, etc.
There was a seat for her and a seat for the Lord, who invited her to come and sit at the table. To rest. To be taken care of by her Good Shepherd, who had prepared a table, a meal for her to get nourishment and hydration and comfort and companionship and care during, in the presence of, her enemies.
Off to the side, she had a few extra chairs with the words like anger, fear, frustration, and anxiety on the backs of the chairs and she would pull one up to the table to demonstrate that God sets up a table for us in our daily lives, a safe space of resting in Him and what He has prepared for us that day. But then frustrations, or fears, or anxieties, try to come and sit at the table He prepared only for us.
And do we remain at rest in His presence, enjoying the delights He has prepared for us? Waiting to see what will happen with this uninvited guest who showed up at the Master’s table with us.
Most likely no, we do not remain at rest. Pastor Alexa got up out of a chair, grabbed a coffee tumbler and basically said, Thanks for setting up this amazing table Lord, but I am really busy and this thing jumped up and this thing popped up and I have to get this done and that done and look at all of this mess over here that I have to go fix - so thank You, I appreciate the effort, but could I just get my coffee to go and maybe just grab a muffin or protein bar to go. Thanks - That would be great!
Those may not be her exact words, lol - and it sounds funny.
But there is so much truth in there. I am so guilty of getting my coffee on the run from God, snatching it out of His hand as I run past Him every day, because I think I am going to be in charge of my day. But how much more enjoyable, peaceful, relaxing, and satisfying would it be if I would just learn to remain seated at my Father’s table, knowing He has already seen my day in advance? He has already ordered my steps. I simply need to ask Him what He has on His plate for me and then walk along the safe path knowing even though it feels like a cliff, He has already gone before ALL OF MY DAYS and knows the very best path.
We have to remain seated at His table ESPECIALLY during the times it feels impossible to trust when the pain is too much for our hearts, when the future seems hopeless, lifeless, and unbearable.
It doesn’t mean there will not be distractions, interruptions, frustrations, life’s hiccups along the way. But this time, we are not alone because we spent time at the table, and we are equipped and prepared for anything that comes our way.
We are well nourished and remain, by faith, seated at our Shepherd’s table.
I am finding that, rather than sitting at the table, slowing down, waiting to hear what God might have to say, I wanted to get my coffee to go. On the run, too busy for God, I was at times pushing past Him and running through the fields my way.
Then I would get frustrated when I would come across an impassable lane or when people were slowing me down. I had work to do, things to do.
From Pastor Alexa’s message on the 23rd Psalm, I realized what God was trying to reveal to me by leading me to study in a more intimate light, but I was missing it. But through Pastor Alexa He was demonstrating to me that If I would have been sitting at the table with Him and resting in His presence while my enemy was trying to destroy my faith in God by stealing my life through the death of my daughter, I would have had the strength, His strength to endure this immense suffering and pain that was too devastating for me alone.
With Him, with our Shepherd, we are never alone!
I didn’t have to go through it alone. God wanted to watch over me and comfort me in my hour of need, but I wouldn’t let Him. I blamed Him.
If I would have stayed at God’s table that He had prepared for me, I would not have faced the enemy in the dark cave of fear all alone in despair, but in the pain and despite the darkness, I would have seen that even though I was in a very hostile situation and everything seemed hopeless, God wanted to assure me that He was there. To make certain I knew He was there with me in the presence of this horrible evil thing. To bring me comfort.
I would have had the right perspective, the right vantage point to clearly see the traps of my enemy, but I didn’t sit. I ran. I ran on the wrong path because my focus, my perspective, was not seated in Him.
I was too busy having my plan, exercising my choices, my free will, my rights, I sounded a lot like the verse in Isaiah “I”, “I”, “I”, or ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’!
My heart was Jesus’s. I received Him as my Savior, but I didn’t understand the Truth, The Power, The Authority of His Word, and how in Him we have the same power and authority - that He gives in His Name - to overcome any snare Satan tries to use to separate us from God. Not God separates from us, but Satan will use any weapon of pain, rejection, abuse, trauma, neglect, anything to cause you to have that same type of pride where we think we can be like God. Do it ourselves!!!!!!! Worse! Do it without Him!
Jeremiah 6:16-18: ( NLT) This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’
I posted watchmen over you who said, ‘Listen for the sound of the alarm.’ But you replied, ‘No! We won’t pay attention!’
“Therefore, listen to this, all you nations. Take note of my people’s situation.
I hope anyone who will listen and hear my words will take note of my past situations, that you will learn not about me but of me, of what I have learned, so that you do not continue down a path that only leaves you more empty, more unsatisfied, more jaded than yesterday.
God throws us lifelines all the time, like we just read in Jeremiah. He extends His love, mercy, and generosity to us even in the times we are rejecting Him and do not deserve the compassion of the Almighty God. Thankfully, His goodness and compassion toward us do not depend on our behavior, and we can’t earn it or work for it, because we would ALL fail!
He cares for you and me, no matter how horrible we behave. He shows it to us, He tells it to us every day, but we have to have ears open.
Have you ever noticed how a dog’s ears go “up” when they are being given instructions, or there is an unusual noise in their environment?
God wants our ears up, actively listening for His voice, no matter our environment. We can not know the best path to travel, which is where we do find rest for our souls, but we have to cooperate. We can’t be like the verse and say “NO, That’s Not The Road I Want”, and then blame God for not caring about you, not protecting you, or helping you!
We are continuously setting ourselves up for failure when we come to decisions, to crossroads, to unfamiliar pastures in our lives, and we do not take 5 minutes to even consult with the God of the entire universe. The One Who already knows ALL THINGS. We are so foolish in our own pride that we do not go to Him for the answers we NEED, because they may not match up with the answers we WANT! How arrogant and prideful is that???
And we wonder why we need to be learning how to have a spirit of humility. Because it is what we need in order to be wise enough to listen, listen, Linda!! LOL
How can we claim to trust God and then tune Him out when we think He will give us an answer we don’t want to hear, or lead us down a path we don’t want to travel?
Is that the way to a better life, really? By ignoring God when we don’t like His way? Are we really that stubborn and foolish and so full of pride that we think we are smarter than God?
I know it feels harsh and maybe uncomfortable to hear. Trust me, I have felt very uncomfortable about my attitude and behavior regarding my past and my present.
But this one thing is what I know. I told God I genuinely wanted to change. I wanted to humble myself. I made a distinctive decision to trade up - to exchange my free will for His will for me. Rather than just going out and making a day as I go, I now ask God to show me the path He has already established for me for that day and to look up, to listen up, and to step up onto a path He has cleared for me.
Is it easy? No. Not always. But when we stop trying to be in charge and learn to be His sheep, we don’t have to have the easy way. We don’t have to avoid hard things, because He is guiding us through a perfect path we can not see with our eyes.
He leads us safely on unfamiliar paths, and as we learn to trust Him, then the unfamiliar becomes less scary, less intimidating, less dreaded, and we find ourselves scaling mountaintops we could have and would have never been able to do on our own.
Pride causes our perspective of God to be jaded. We talked about the characteristics of being jaded last week.
Let’s take a quick recap of those:
Key Characteristics of a Jaded Person
Constant Negativity:
Lack of Enthusiasm:
Emotional Detachment:
Cynicism and Skepticism:
Feeling Drained:
Blame and Resentment:
Criticism and Sarcasm:
These are the symptoms of pride that keep us from living a full, abundant life that God has for us. For you!
But! When we can master the skill of sitting at the table, we can hear some of the benefits that come from sitting at the table with God and placing absolute trust in Him!
Table Blessings:
His Divine Provision: The "table" represents abundance and care, indicating that God supplies all necessary provisions—both physically and spiritually. It signifies that God meets our needs, even when we are surrounded by challenges.
Think on that: when someone takes the time to set a table for you, that shows care, time, and intentionality. God Himself sets a table for you personally to dine one-on-one with Him.
Personal Relationship: The phrase "before me" emphasizes that these blessings are personal and tailored for the individual. It highlights God's intimate involvement in our lives, showing His favor and attention.
Protection Amidst Adversity: The presence of enemies underscores God's protection and the idea that, despite external threats, one can find peace and security in God's presence. This suggests that God’s blessings are evident even in difficult circumstances, providing a sense of safety and assurance.
The conclusion, according to the online source from a link on Got Questions, which is in today’s notes, states:
Psalm 23:5 encapsulates ( or summarizes) a profound message of hope and reassurance, illustrating that God’s presence and provision are unwavering, even in the face of adversity. It invites believers to trust in God’s goodness and to recognize the blessings that come from a relationship with Him, regardless of external circumstances.
( Sourced from gotquestions.org)
Without absolute faith and trust in God, we will never overcome the abuse of our past, the wounds of betrayal, the insecurities of feeling unworthy, or the harm from feeling abandoned, neglected, set aside, separated, rejected, and unwanted.
We must turn our jaded hearts over to Him in submission and with complete humility.
Remember these two simple truths that we have mentioned before:
The pressure is not on us to be perfect, but we are perfected already by who we are in Christ!!! AND!
God loves you! He isn’t mad, angry, disappointed, or through with you. He wants you to know that your BEST DAYS ARE YET TO COME!!!!
Don’t forget to check out today’s notes and Pastor Alexa’s message: The Lord Our Shepherd - on the 23rd Psalm. You can find today’s notes and her message on - heartfeltconversations.com
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalms 118:24:(NLT)
Inspire yourself this week with God’s truth over your life. Here’s a little personal quote!
“When we learn to sit at His table, we learn to live from His strength!”
I will….. See ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Psalm 23: The Lord Our Shepherd | Pastor Alexa Jones
Need a church home: Join us at VFC, tell them Diana invited you! 🙂
Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You:
Made Me Glad - Hillsong Worship
Lauren Daigle - Rescue (Official Music Video)
Never Walk Alone (Lyric Video) - Hillsong Worship
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Matthew 7:11: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37 “Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick: Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.