April 12 2023
I’ve had a really physically difficult couple of days after the latest treatment…”But God…”
Psalm 23:4,6 have been a comfort to me today after a couple of difficult painful days and night from the latest treatment with headaches, searing pain, achy, difficulty breathing, walking up stairs, and having little energy, being bedridden, and little sleep. But in His Word, I find comfort and His ability to help keep my mind on Him!
- “Even when I walk THROUGH the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for YOU are close beside me. YOUR rod and your staff protect and comfort me…Only goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.”
Below are a few notes I scribbled down in writing to someone and thought I would post them to perhaps find someone in a valley in need of comfort or to help someone prepare before their next valley comes…to remind them of some truths for the journey of faith, that is not without, conflict, difficulty, but that is never the end of the story for the Psalmist nor for you too… so, here we go…
In the valleys of difficulties there is fear and evil,-(Psalm 23:4).” But God…” the LORD is our Shepherd and He is always with us. Personally with us and providentially leading us THROUGH each and Every valley of difficulty.
- A hotel chain had a famous tv slogan, “We’ll leave the light on for you” but for the follower of Christ we aren’t planning on spending the night as our Shepherd is leading us THROUGH… the valleys of difficulties, and distress, extreme danger -{Jer 2:6}.. we aren’t planning on stopping!
RECOGNIZE THE LIE.
…those thoughts, and voices of fear that have been injecting Thoughts to scare you into wrongly thinking you are on your own, without hope, without God who somehow is either caught unaware of your situation or is somewhere else doing something else and has abandoned you… and to embrace such sinful thoughts are all an attack of the evil one to seek to emotionally and spiritually paralyze you through such thinking if they could. And ultimately slander the LORD’S Character to you!
- Do the THOUGHTS that come to mind ring TRUE of Him, EXALTING Him, causing you to TRUST HIM, OR DO the THOUGHTS DISHONOR HIM, tempting you to DOUBT Him, and what His Word says?
- And so to THINK SCRIPTURALLY in the moments of difficulties when fear would seek to disquiet your heart and mind you have to SPEAK the truth to yourselves to counteract the evil one’s lies about the LORD your Shepherd to you…
So, SPEAK TO YOURSELF…Such as …
I am in this valley but not alone. The LORD who is my shepherd is presently, permanently with all of His Power With me! -{Pause and read that again and speak to yourself! and PRAISE HIM!}
TWO REALITIES.
I am in a valley of difficulty. Not denying it. But also the reality is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, MY SHEPHERD IS WITH ME!
THE SHEPHERD IS GREATER …THAN ALL THE VALLEYS OF DIFFICULTIES that cannot stop the Shepherd from leading us THROUGH them…
THE SHEPHERD IS GREATER …THAN ALL THE FEARS that cannot stop the Shepherd from leading us THROUGH…
…be they fears of the future, etc which fear likes to tempt the followers of Christ to think on rather than that they walk with a present tense Shepherd who is GREATER more POWERFUL than the valley of DIFFICULTIES that cannot stop the Shepherd leading us THROUGH…
And ultimately all the way THROUGH eventually to the HOUSE OF THE LORD,- where we will dwell with Him forever and ever.
SO TO THINK ABOUT HIM… and ASK YOURSELF?
What am I forgetting about the LORD MY SHEPHERD in my circumstances?
What PROMISES am I forgetting in the valley?
The LORD is my Shepherd who is ever present with me not based on what I “Feel” or don’t “feel” but what His Word says is our authority in our valley of difficulties. we walk by faith in a faithful Shepherd who cannot lie whose Word is True and who testifies of His faithfulness to us as our SHEPHERD- ever Present!
So Psalm 23:4,6 are good words of TRUTH to SPEAK to ourselves and find comfort in Him who walks with us and walks us THROUGH all the valleys we will ever encounter all the way to meet Him at the Father’s House:)
Walking THROUGH the Valley … YOU are with me…
Take comfort in Him
GOD BLESS
AIDAN