How to Walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

May 04, 2023

By Brooke Holt

“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

With the onset of the Covid virus in 2020, the conversation about death took center stage. Unless you kept your television turned off and stayed off all social media, it was impossible to ignore the warnings and reports. Young people died; old people died; people both without and with previous health conditions died. Even with the vaccine, you simply had no guarantee that you could escape death’s grip.

This virus revealed a truth often suppressed – every one of us will face death at some point. Our days are numbered, and death is no discriminator. We don’t know the day or the time, but we know that one day we will walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

On that day, who do you want with you? David knew the presence of the Lord on his days of calm and of calamity. And it was the Lord’s presence with him that freed him from the bondage of fear. David would not fear death itself nor anything else in this life for he found comfort in the Lord.

In Psalm 23, the valley does not just represent physical death. The valley can also represent the unknowns in our lives, the things we fear, the pain that feels like it may overwhelm us. These things can feel like death and may even be a kind of death such as moving, letting go of a relationship or expectation, losing a job, etc. In whatever circumstance you can find yourself, the Lord is right there with you. He will walk with you, guide you, comfort you, and eventually take you home to dwell in his presence.

Psalm 23 reminds you that the Lord will shepherd you throughout every day of your life; in every season, through joys and sorrows, through every valley and on every mountaintop he is present. He does not promise a pain-free journey through this life, but he does promise to never leave nor forsake you.

Reflection:

Are you walking through a difficult season of life? Take some time to be aware of God’s presence with you. What does he want you to know? What does he want to be for you in this season? How can his presence change your perspective? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resources:

Let's face it, the Christian life is hard. Relationships take work. Christians forget. Sometimes it is tempting to go back to the days when God was not the center of our lives - to backslide. We are all faced with tremendous pressures to drift away from intimacy with Jesus and the community of the Church. However, the Lord invites us to pay attention, to move forward, to draw near, and to live lives of worship. Draw Near: Hebrews on Christian Worship is a small group Bible study on the Book of Hebrews intended to lead participants into a deeper intimacy with the living God in the context of New Testament worship. Draw nearer to God in authentic worship today!