Verse: Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Devotion
Fear is one of the most often written about themes in the Bible. Take a moment this morning and read these verses slowly. Hear them for YOU, not just for the general public. Hear Jesus speaking them over your life:
Isaiah 41:10 ESV
Fear not, for I am with you;
Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
Do not be anxious about anything…
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
For God gave us a spirit not of fear…
Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear…
1 John 4:18 ESV
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
John 14:27 ESV
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
And the overwhelming message is not one of blind triumphalism, telling us that when we follow Christ, everything will be great all the time. No it is what I would call a very realistic message of hope in the face of struggle. Jesus, and the writers of the Bible, pull no punches. Life is hard. Sometimes especially for the followers of Jesus. However we are made of something different. We face hardship with a deep hope that we find only in Jesus. We are not those who go down to the pit of despair. We are those who rise even in the hardships.
And one of the main reasons we do, is the simple fact that we are not alone. Hear these words today over your life:
“you are with me”
No matter what hardship you are facing today, and what fear those hardships are creating in your heart, I want you to refocus your thoughts on this truth: Jesus is with you in the struggle. You are not alone. He is your strength and your comfort. He is your hope and your peace. He is your direction and your clarity.
Lean on him today. Hear these words again and again: “I am with you.” This is why Jesus said this to us, so that we could have hope in the struggle:
John 16:33 NIV
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Prayer
Today, no matter what I’m facing, let me have hope in the fact that you are with me and I am not alone.
Author: Christian Dunn
Recent Comments