Read Psalm 23

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…”

Life with the Shepherd is not always green pastures and still waters. Sometimes, it’s dark valleys. But Psalm 23 reminds us that even in the shadowy places—the hard conversations, the medical diagnoses, the heartbreak—we are never alone. The Shepherd doesn’t send us into the valley; He leads us through it. There’s a huge difference.

“Paths of righteousness” don’t always mean comfort. Sometimes they mean obedience in difficulty. They mean trusting God when things don’t make sense. They mean saying “yes” to the right thing even when it’s costly. And yet, it’s for His name’s sake—for His glory and our good—that He leads us.

Jesus walked through His own valley—Gethsemane and Golgotha—and He did it for us. Because of His suffering, our suffering is never wasted. Because He was raised, we can trust that our valleys are not dead ends. The Holy Spirit walks with us in the dark, speaking courage to our fears and guiding us with unseen strength.

Reflection Questions:

• What “valley” seasons have shaped your faith the most?
  
• How does knowing Jesus walked through suffering affect your view of your own struggles?
  
• What does it look like to walk with God even when the path is hard?
  
• What specific fear do you need to entrust to the Shepherd today?

Journaling Prompt:

Write a prayer or letter to God from the middle of one of your valleys. Be honest—then listen for His voice.