Through the Dark Valley

2

Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
- from Psalm 23:4

What are your options when you're in the dark valley? You can panic. You can quit. Your can curl up into a ball and stop walking. You can try to scrabble up the sides of the valley (even though we know that won't work). You can turn around and go back, clinging to the past.

Or you can keep on moving forward.

The presence of the Lord gave David what he needed to press on without fear, to keep walking through the darkest valley. How does David get this confidence that the Lord is with him?

When we hit those dark valleys, it's easy for us to tell ourselves a story that we're abandoned by the Lord or that he doesn't care about us. Both our minds and our hearts can tremble. What should we do?

We've found two things particularly helpful when we've gone through dark valleys. The first is drawing on our reservoir of experience with the Lord and his faithful presence. That time by the quiet waters mentioned earlier in the psalm.

The second is keeping an eye out for those blades of grass that sprout up even in the darkest valleys, life finding a way to break through. Every season has signs of God's provision, though perhaps they will be easy to overlook in our hurry to get on to the next stage of the journey. Spotting those signs of provision and life remind us of the Lord's generous and life-giving presence.

This weekend, we're hosting a 24 Hour Prayer time at the church. We're creating a peaceful space to engage with the Lord. Come and join us. Fill up your reservoir before you hit the dark valley. And if you're in a valley right now, come looking for signs of God's presence and attention.

For more info and to register: www.24hourprayer.info.

2 Comments

That's super-insightful, Darin. Valley seasons tempt us to isolate ourselves, not just from God but also from other people. I think you're really on to something there. Thanks for pointing it out!

I think another way is to speak to someone or write to someone your feelings about the valley season. It may not solve the problem but the problem is much smaller when another person knows it.

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