“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
— Psalm 23:4a ESV

The Psalmist speaks of going through “the valley of the shadow of death.” A place where you are surrounded by shadows that could hide dangerous animals, robbers, or other threats.

When we are passing through a difficult place it is easy to feel panicked; to fear the unknown.

And there are few feelings worse than being in a tight spot and being there alone.

For example, taking the wrong bus in a foreign country and finding yourself in an unknown area, surrounded by people who don’t know you and don’t speak your language. Or simply passing through a loss or disappointment and feeling like no one understands you because, naturally, they didn’t go through the same thing.

Psalm 23 gives us the key: we can be fearless when we realize that we are never truly alone.

No matter what comes our way, we can be in perfect peace because God, our Shepherd, is with us.

Carry this simple prayer with you today:

Breathe in: I will not fear;
Breathe out: For you are with me.