Comfort and Joy

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.

Psalm 23:4

All of us have experienced varying levels of disruption, disappointment, and grief these past few years. My husband, Darrin, and I both came down with Covid and missed our son’s wedding in June. Our devastating loss of this long-awaited milestone likely joins your own losses of missed graduations and births, changes in employment, travel plans, lost opportunities, or relationships, even loss of life. Life, for many of us, is not going how we planned.

Psalm 23 is penned by David, a young shepherd boy who would one day become king. This psalm is one many of us commit to memory from an early age. What I find comforting is reading how David switched his description of God from he to you. He makes me lie down, he leads, he restores, he guides…for you are with me. Your rod, your staff. The hebecomes you in the valley of the shadow of death. Intimacy with God occurs in the darkest valley.

Suffering and disappointment, those darkest valleys, can take us to places of intimacy with God a life of ease cannot. This closeness and firsthand knowing cannot be manufactured or taken away. Embracing disruptions and loss while remaining tenderhearted towards God is one of the greatest challenges we face as followers of Jesus.

I have met people over the years who are stuck and unable to grow because they cannot make peace with how their lives have unfolded. They shake their fist at God in anger and don’t move past protesting and questioning why. While God welcomes our raw and honest emotions, when the difficulties become the primary focus our hearts become hardened and bitterness takes root.

I have also met Christians who have lived surrendered to God through hardships and seen character, depth, and beauty is formed in and through their lives. There are no short cuts to character formation, but the outcome is breathtaking. Not only do they experience comfort and joy they spread this gift to others.

God’s ways and methods may not make sense to us, but our trust I never misplaced when we yield our hearts and lives to him. As we follow the Good Shepherd where he leads, we trust that God has more for us and for those we love than we can see. God’s comfort and joy and the promise of his presence is always with us. Emmanuel--God with us.

Praying your Christmas is meaningful.

With love,

viv

**this post was shared as part of the Denver Seminary 2022 Advent Reflections