Day 29 – I Will [Not] Fear
David’s confidence did not come because the valley was harmless. It came because the Shepherd was greater.
Day 29 – I Will [Not] Fear
Psalm 23:4 — “…I fear no evil, for You are with me…”
The Bible never portrays God’s people as never experiencing fear. Fear is a normal human response to danger and uncertainty. Throughout the Bible, faithful men and women experience fear.
Moses was afraid when God called him. Elijah was afraid when Jezebel threatened his life. The disciples were afraid when the storm overwhelmed their boat.
Faith does not mean we never feel fear. It means that fear does not become our master. Psalm 23 is making a declaration of trust.
The Hebrew word translated “fear” is yare. It has a wide range of meaning. It can describe terror and dread, but it can also describe reverence and awe. The difference is determined by the object of our fear.
Throughout Scripture, God tells His people both: “Fear Me” and “Do not fear.”
The person who fears God is no longer controlled by the fears of this world. When God dwells in the heart of a believer, everything else becomes smaller.
David’s confidence did not come because the valley was harmless. It came because the Shepherd was greater. Notice the progression of David’s Psalm:
The Shepherd leads David to green pastures. Then He restores his soul. Then He guides him on righteous paths. Now, in the valley, the Shepherd gives him courage.
The same God who led him beside still waters is the God who walks beside him through darkness.
The Shepherd has not changed. Only the scenery has. The valley is still a valley. The darkness is still real. But the Shepherd is present.
Psalms 56:3
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose Word I praise. In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?
Fear will always try to tell you that you are alone and that the darkness is greater than God. You may feel fear, but you do not have to surrender to it. Today, choose to trust the One who walks beside you. The presence of the Shepherd is greater than the power of the valley.
