A valley is a stretch low land between two mountains or hills.
We all have low points in our lives where we experienced fear.
What's your "valley"?
* Maybe it's a financial debt that's draining all you got.
* Or a broken relationship that continues to haunt you.
* Is it the health of a sick relative? Or maybe it's your own health.
* Maybe it's a habitual sin that you can't break.
* How about Covid-19? Is this pandemic your "valley"?
Valleys bring us fear.
King David, in Psalm 23, speaks about a valley that brings an extreme kind of fear.
It's "the valley of the shadow of death".
What should you do when you're in that valley?
WALK THROUGH IT.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." - Psalms 23:4
Don't stop. Don't fall down in panic.
You need to walk through it.
Have faith to walk through the valley because God is with you.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me..." - Psalms 23:4
And all you need is God. St. Teresa of Avila says, "Solo Dios Basta." God alone is enough.
Don't rely on yourself.
There are a lot of things that we can't control.
But God is always in control so depend on Him.
Verse 4 closes with these 3 things that brings us comfort.
"....you are with me; your rod & your staff, they comfort me" - Psalms 23:4
Walk through your fears because you have GOD, His rod & His staff.
"....you are with me" - God is with you always. Jesus promises us that "I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:19).
".... your rod" - A shepherd uses his rod to defend his flock from lions, bears & other wild beasts. God will defend you. "The LORD will fight for you & you have only to be still" (Exodus 14:14)
"...your staff" - A shepherd uses his staff to guide the flock where to go. He uses it to lead them to better pastures. God should be your guide because God's ".. word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalms 119:105)
Allow God to defend you. Allow God to guide you.
God is your antidote against fear because "there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18)
And God is the only being that can love you perfectly.
No one else. God alone.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod & your staff, they comfort me" - Psalms 23:4
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