"Though I walk..."

“Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.”

 

The 23^rd Psalm has always been a go to for me since I was quite young. My children have the words in their hearts already just from hearing it every night before they go to sleep, its quoting being part of our bedtime routine.

 

It is particularly poignant because the world we live in is full of shadows, the devil himself, is a master of shadow play and thrives on the fear created by such. It is hard to stand on truths in a world where the senses dominate the belief systems of many. Where values exist only where they are convenient and absolutes are considered old fashioned. Because of this, we live in a world of fear, fear of all manner of things and people, fear of death and fear of suffering. Though we live in the shadow lands, we can have no fear; the promise of that scripture holds true because He is with us. This perhaps is a novel concept to some who would barely know what to do with themselves if fear wasn’t an active part of their life, and they were no longer perpetuating that fear by repeating stories and thoughts and circumstances to themselves and any who listen. Fear is a powerful motivator, and opportunist of all sorts capitalize on the actions and thoughts it induces. As I think on this passage I would just number three things:

 

       1.    We do have to walk in the valley of shadows. We can either be scared out of our minds and filled with anxiety and worry or we can walk in peace. I am a much saner and happier wife and mother and friend when I walk in peace and not stress. I can be a bringer of clarity instead of a contributor to confusion.

 

       2.      Know He is with you. “If God is for us who can be against us” With him I can fight anything, let alone fight the fear of a shadow for a shadow is not the substance of a thing.

 

       3.      Do not fear. Easier said than done? A little thing called thought displacement is key here. The repetition of fearful thoughts are hard to banish in one fell swoop so you must fight them as they come with the reverse of what is fearful. I focus on the scriptures because you can’t beat the Word of God for a powerful antagonist to the worlds ways of thinking.

Thanks to Jolly Little Life for hosting this blogathon. Today was sharing a quote that inspires you, or in this case a scripture.

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