Dark Valleys

"Yea, 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."

There is an old Arab parable that says: "All sunshine and no rain makes a desert." If you never have any down times, dark times, gloomy times in your life, you'll be dried up. You'll have no depth to yourself, no maturity. It takes good times and bad times to make a mature person. Life is a mixture of pain and pleasure, of victory and defeat, of success and failure, of mountain tops and valleys.

Even in our darkest valleys, our darkest days, God is there. "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." Psalm 23:4.

In Israel there is a real Valley of the Shadow of Death. It's a steep, deep and narrow canyon. The sun only hits the bottom of it when it's directly overhead at high noon. The rest of the time the bottom of the canyon is dark. David probably led his sheep through the valley of the shadow of death as he was growing up.

There are five facts about valleys that you need to remember whenever you go through a tough time:

1. VALLEYS ARE INEVITABLE
2. VALLEYS ARE UNPREDICTABLE
3. VALLEYS ARE IMPARTIAL
4. VALLEYS ARE TEMPORARY
5. VALLEYS ARE PURPOSEFUL

Remember that the passage says "through the valley of death."  It doesn't say "to the valley" or "detour around the valley" or "into and stop in the valley."  The darkness or rough times or trials are temporary. You go through it.

God has a reason for taking you through the valleys. Whether it's doubt, depression, despair, discouragement, defeat -- He's got a reason behind it.

What do you do when you go through dark valleys?

1. Refuse to be discouraged. Focus on God's power rather than your problem. Col. 1:11 "God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient."

2. Remember that God is with you. God not only promises us His power in the valley, He promises His presence. You will never go through a valley in life by yourself. You will never go through a dark day alone. God has said, "I will be with you."

3. Rely on God's protection and guidance.

The rod and staff were the two basic tools that a shepherd used to protect and guide the sheep. A rod was basically about two feet long; at the end of it was a heavy knot. Shepherds were very skilled at hurling the rod, like a missile, at anything that would attack the sheep. A staff was a long stick with a crock at the end of it. The shepherd uses a staff to guide and comfort. He will use the staff to draw the sheep in close to him. He will use the staff to lift them up when they're down.

God uses his rod and staff to protect, guide and comfort you. Remember: the valleys are temporary but necessary. But you will never have to face the rough times alone. Trust in God to help you through the valleys.

I hope you have a wonderful week.