Dark Valleys

Life is full of all kinds of threats and dangers. When we can see them coming, they cause us great fear. But, sometimes what causes even greater fear are the things we can’t see coming. Sometimes we’re afraid simply because we don’t know what might be waiting to happen just around the next corner. It is the feeling of being lost in the dark that really scares us! 

Most children are afraid of the dark, and in a way we never really grow past that. It is just another kind of darkness we fear as we get older. For a small child to feel scared there doesn’t have to be a real monster waiting in the closet or under the bed. All that is necessary to make him feel afraid is the presence of darkness. After all, if he can’t see under the bed, then for all he knows there might be a monster waiting to get him! And it is the same for us as adults. When life gets dark and you find yourself in a bad situation, you cannot see the way forward. You can end up feeling paralyzed by fear. The inability to see what’s coming scares us, because it places us in a position of vulnerability.

This is why the promises found in Psalm 23 are so powerful. Despite the dark valleys we face in this fallen world, we can rise above our fears because we have a Good Shepherd who protects us. Through today’s study focused on verse 4, we find this life-giving truth: As long as I have God’s approval, the painful things happening in my life are not going to be able to harm me. They may cause me deep hurt, but as long as He is with me, they cannot separate me from the Shepherd’s love!