When You Are IN The Valley
Most of us know what it feels like to be alone in the dark. If you ever had to take the trash out late at night or found yourself stranded alongside a road at night, then you understand – your mind can create hidden shadows or images. Before you know it, the hair on the back of your neck begins to rise.
However, if you turn on a flashlight your fears quickly fade because the light exposes the truth.
In Psalm 23, David wrote about a time when he was sure that he would lose his life. It was a season when he walked “through the valley of the shadow of death.” (v. 4) Yet, he was not afraid because he knew the One who walked with him had the ability to bring light to the darkest situation and exchange his worry for faith.
When you awake in the middle of the night to the whispers of the enemy’s lies – remind yourself that Christ overcame and you will also.
When you face worrisome difficulties in your life turn to God’s reassuring and never-ending love. When you awake in the middle of the night to the whispers of the enemy’s lies – remind yourself that Christ overcame and you will also. Proclaim what you know to be true!
In essence, David said, “Though I walk through the threat of death, I will not fear because my Lord and Savior are beside me.” God is the greater force and He loves you with an intimate, personal love. Even though life may become dark, His light continues to burn. There is no darkness that can quench the light of God’s love. You have no reason to worry – God is with you!
There is no darkness that can quench the light of God’s love.
Your brain signals dangers in your life whether they are real or imagined. What you need to do when these worry signals happen is to assess and triage them. Become aware if the danger is a real threat or an imagined one. If it is imagined, then let it go. If there is no action you can take toward alleviating it – turn your thoughts to something else.
You can overcome threats by trading worry for trust that God is with you and is in control and you do not need to be afraid. Like David penned in Psalm 34:3-5, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed.”
Check out more from Dr. Tony Evans @tonyevans.org