Walking Through

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for You are with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me,” Psalms 23:4

How many times have you read that verse? When people hit problems, they are often reminded of that verse. Often, people will tell us, “Oh, you are going through the valley.” We are reminded that believers must all walk through the valley, throughout our lives.

I don’t want to focus on the aspect that we all have to walk through the valley. I want to focus on a key word: through. It doesn’t say when you get stuck in the valley or once you’re are in the valley. It says you walk through the valley. Through means you aren’t staying. Through means, there is an end. You are going through. You will come out the other side. Through, I think, is a hopeful word. It means this trek through the valley is exactly that. You will get through it.

I know for me, I need to focus on the word, through. I like hearing that I’m going through it because it implies there is an end. Valleys are just holes in the ground. They dip down, but raise up on the other side. I really like that visual. I will go through the valleys, but I’m not staying there. I’m just passing through. I’m not stuck forever. “This too shall pass.”

Everything has a time limit. Our life on this planet is timed. We have a short time, “then it is appointed to every man to die.” If you are going through a valley right now, try and focus on the word: through.

I’ve been applying this to other uncomfortable things in my life. For instance, I hate needles. I know I’m not the first person or the last person to hate needles. But I am part of that club that does. Now that I’m older, my doctor asks me to get blood tests every once in awhile. I hate them. Like really, really hate them. The thought of getting a needle stuck in my arm, makes my heart beat louder and faster and my stomach does flip flops.

So I had to get a blood test about a month ago. I began to dread it. Then I began to approach it in a more grown up fashion. The blood test takes less than a minute. Less than a minute of my life, I will have a needle stuck in my arm, then it will be all over. Done. Kaput. I think I can handle that. There is a sense of relief, knowing it will all be over quickly.

So next time you are in the valley, remind yourself that you are going through it. You aren’t staying. You don’t have to set up camp. This isn’t permanent. You are going through it. There will be the other side that you come out of. It will not last forever (though sometimes it may seem like that). So take heart. Believers all walk through the valley of the shadow of death. But the key is: we walk through them!