Psalm 23:1-6
Valley experiences are moments when heartache or hardship makes it feel almost impossible to keep functioning. Like a giant wave crashing over our head, such events can be overwhelming.
Realistically, situations like these will sometimes be of our own making. If we disobey God, we can end up in a painful place. Suffering can also be caused by others—perhaps through loss, infidelity, or betrayal. Then there are occasions when our heavenly Father Himself leads us into the valley. Although He could guide us in a way that bypasses the anguish, He chooses not to. He has a purpose in mind, which would not be fulfilled if we took a smoother path.
Whatever the cause, Psalm 23 uses four words to describe the time we spend in such valleys: shadow, death, fear, and evil. There is no way to hurry through an ordeal marked by emotional or physical distress. A trial’s depth and length are determined by the Lord’s will, but He walks with us and protects us as we endure it.
God promises that He will use every valley—even those of our own making—to benefit us (Rom. 8:28). But with eyes firmly fixed on Him, we must walk steadily, attuned to His presence and trusting in His pledge.
Bible in One Year: Hosea 10-14
