Posted on: 2nd August 2024

I was recently looking at a small scar on my hand and remembered the time when a small tree snake had disliked me picking a banana from his tree. The pain was sudden and sharp, but the ongoing inflammation and infection were awful. An intravenous antivenom, a cream that stung on a pussy, swelling of flesh with severe itching and gnawing pain. At 5yrs, I remember the sense of invincible boldness that I had survived a venomous snake and would tell everyone my story brandishing my scar like an Olympian gold medal. 

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." Psalm 23:4

David is writing from within a time of personal challenge and frustration. He writes with an assumption of the inevitability we will walk through the valleys of shadows of death. The original Hebrew phrase ‘shadow of death’ literally means ‘deepest darkness’.

What gives me hope from David's Psalm is that he described the valley as a ‘shadow of death’ and not ‘The valley of death’. It is not death itself, but a foreboding and intimidation of oppression and fear.

We can take hope from how a shadow is formed. The giant spider on the wall is really the tassels of a hanging garment obscuring the light.

It is also encouraging that the Psalm describes walking ‘through the valley’. The valley is not the destination. It is not where any of us are called to live but it might be a season we have to walk through.

Often, we pray to get over a challenging experience or for God to bring relief from pain, grief, sickness, anxiety, failure…

However, the deepest darkness we are walking through; have walked through or the suffering we may have to endure at any moment, does not end our story, but instead it is a transition place that we walk through.

The scars we gain in times of trouble have a purpose just as Jesus' scars did. His body was restored but he still bore the scars of his crucifixion and suffering. His scars bore witness to the resurrection power of God and victory over death. Likewise, our scars are proof that not only did we survive the valley, but they are evidence of the One who guided us through it.

Suffering can strike like a hidden snake at any time, but we have a God who has endured suffering and bears scars. We may suffer for a little while, but we can depend on Him who is present with us in the suffering, will guide us through and use our scars to bear witness to his faithfulness and love.

Liz Harden, Lighthouse West Yorkshire