4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4 CSB)

You may be in a valley at the moment. I am in a valley of my own.

But what is the key feature of a valley?

It is created by the peaks around it. Sooner or later, if we keep moving we will come to the upward climb.

But here is the problem. How does one muster the energy to climb the mountain side after having slogged through a deep valley in life?

Because of this we often simply decide to stay in the valley. The mountain side seems too steep to climb and we are far too tired.

But what does our scripture tell us about the mountain side? “Your rod and your staff – they comfort me.” I see this as a promise. A promise that if I will simply remain under the rod of God’s rule, He will provide the staff I need to help me make the climb.

And I can be sure that God does not simply wait for me at the peak, but walks beside me all the way. Sometimes carrying me when my strength fails on the climb.