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

Valleys. Some are short. Others are long and winding. Some are deep, cold, dreary places where the sun never shines and human foot does not dare go. Others are shallow, warm, sunny places where award winning photos are taken and we all want to go to just rest there for a bit. Many times in the Bible, in literature, and in art, we liken valleys to slow times or low points in our lives. Why?

I posit it’s because we really all want to be on the mountain top surveying our kingdom like children playing King of the Mountain and no one wants to be in the valley looking up instead.

Assuming we all desire to be on the mountain top, how is it that we get there? Is there a helicopter to just conveniently drop off us at the top? Not usually. Most of the time to get to the mountain top, we must first go through a valley. King David knew about this valley experience very well. In Psalm 23:4, he wrote about his valley experiences and about how God was his comfort and his guide through them. The King James Version reads “Ye though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”, a translation based on the root for death being part of the Hebrew phrase meaning absolute darkest. King David wasn’t just talking about God helping him deal with death or protecting him from death, which He certainly did and still does; David was talking about God helping him through ALL of his dark times.

You see, death is just one valley we all experience. We also experience the valley of sickness, the valley of financial loss or strain, the valley of career dissatisfaction, the valley of worrying about how well we are raising our children, the valley of past mistakes, the valley of regret or resentment, the valley of unhealthy relationships, the valley of mourning lost relationships…basically if you can imagine something unpleasant, there’s a valley for it and odds are you or someone you know is in it right now.

Whatever the valley, God is right there too and He wants to comfort, guide, and help.

Sometimes though, we get in the valley and we look around and it looks unending and frightening and just too much for us and we panic. We forget about the Shepherd’s guidance and we run around the valley in the darkness bumping into things and hurting ourselves or others as we desperately look for a way out. We think we see the end and we run headlong for it ignoring everything along the way including places to rest or other travelers in the valley who need a companion. We sit right down where we are and cry and refuse to look up or stand up and so remain in the valley far longer than we should.

Oh friends, if I don’t have a personal story for each one of those reactions to a life valley, then I’m losing my memory. Looking back, I’ve had all those reactions to valleys and others too I’m sure. I recall at least one where I just raged against the valley in general for several days. Needless to say, it didn’t get me anywhere.

Actually, none of those reactions get us anywhere. Take a second to go back and look at how David approached the valley.

“Even though I walk through the valley…”

Psalm 23:4

Walk. Through.

David doesn’t describe seeking around frantically or running headlong or sitting and crying or locking his knees and having a fit. No. He walked…through…

He kept moving, kept making forward progress at an average pace. He followed the Shepherd. The Shepherd didn’t set him a pace that he couldn’t match. The Shepherd didn’t lead him on a wild chase. The Shepherd guided him along at a normal pace pointing out the way with His staff, using His rod to reposition footing or giving a little tap to redirect attention to the right place.

Sweet friends, this is how the Shepherd desires to lead us through our valleys as well! He doesn’t want us to linger in them any longer than necessary to make the trip. He doesn’t want us to run amok. He doesn’t want us to feel lost or alone. He is there all along the way. We just have to open our eyes to His leading, open our ears to His calling. He will show us where to walk and where to rest. He will steer us clear of dangerous pitfalls. He will protect us from predators we don’t even know are there.

If you are in a valley right now and you’re feeling a little, or a lot, like a lost sheep, running around aimlessly getting nowhere or so afraid you’ve become frozen to the spot, isn’t it time to call out to the Shepherd for some comfort and some guidance?

Isn’t it time to start walking through that valley with purpose and with hope? Isn’t it time to be a light in the valley so other travelers can find the Shepherd too?

If you aren’t currently in a valley, isn’t it time to be the light on the hillside or the mountain top? Isn’t it time to let your valley experience give someone else hope that their valley will come to an end too? Isn’t it time to shine some light on the Shepherd so they can find the One who will guide them through all of life’s valleys safely?