Psalm 23: The Lord Is My ShepherdSample

Because of God, I will not fear the valley of the shadow of death

Sometimes life leads us through dark places. 

Billy Graham has said: “Much of our lives are lived in the valley.” Sometimes those valleys get dark and treacherous. Life isn’t all easy traveling, even with Jesus. 

God doesn’t promise you will have an easy path, but He does promise He will be with you every step of the way.

Are you going through the valley? Is it dark? Remember God is with you. He can see what you cannot. You can trust Him in the most difficult and disappointing moments in your life. You will come through the other side. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The sun will rise again. God’s Word is a lamp for your feet, and the light for your path. He will show you where to go each step of the journey – even when it’s foggy, rainy, stormy, or dark.

You never need to live in fear.

Why no fear? God will guard and guide you through everything you face. He will walk with you, even when you aren’t sure of His presence. God does not give us a spirit of fear. God gives us power, love and sound mind. He calls us to be strong and courageous, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go.

We don’t even need to fear death. Death has lost its sting, because we serve an eternal God who loves us with an everlasting love. When we are in Christ, Death is simply a graduation into His perfect presence. The valley of the shadow of death has nothing on God. 

Give your fears to God. Let Him guide you through every season. His Shepherd’s “rod and staff will comfort you” because He will prod and pull you wherever you need to go. As long as you are surrendered to Him, you can be sure He will keep you on the right path. His rod and staff are at work in your life - they are of great comfort because they ensure you will always go where you need to go.

Even when we sit before our enemies - those people who have sinned against us - we can trust God is with us there. God anoints us in these dark moments. In the dark places, our roots grow deeper, and we bear fruit that is greater. There is something God is going to grow through dark seasons and confrontations with your enemies. The anointing will overflow from this place out of your life onto others.