"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." -Psalms 23:4
We know that not everyone makes it to the mountaintop. For all the stories of miraculous rescues and healings and restorations, there are millions of stories without a Hollywood ending. Martyrs still die. Cancers still continue unhealed. Children still rebel. Spouses still leave. Is there hope to have victory in the valley?
David doesn't give us a promise of deliverance from the valley in this verse. The victory is that the presence and protection of God casts out our fear. Being present with God provides peace and joy IN the valley. The victory isn't that we are transported and delivered out of the valley of fear, but that the fear is banished from the valley.
If we place our hope in the deliverance or the healing or the reconciling, then we are worshiping the miracle and not the miracle worker. The powerful miracle is the person who hasn't been delivered out of their valley but has found connection with God within it.
By making ourselves mindfully aware of God's presence, we can receive peace and joy at the point of our deepest suffering. We are no longer enduring until our rescue, but we are overcoming the circumstances of our valley. Being present with God is an invitation to have peace and joy and power within the most difficult of life's circumstances. It is an invitation to walk through the valley with NO FEAR.
Comments
Post a Comment