If I have said it once I have said it 1,000 times when teaching or preaching. It is a biblical truth that I wish were not true. If you and I were God we’d probably think it would be better to do things differently. Ready for it? Here it is. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). Wait a minute. If God is my shepherd, and He makes sure I am never in want, then what in tarnation am I doing walking through a valley of the shadow of death?!
We generally think of Psalm 23 as presenting a confident message of God providing for us. That is true; however, God’s idea of providing for us is not our idea of providing. That’s because God’s way includes difficult times. That’s the part we don’t like to hear. We would much rather experience and interpret “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” to mean we don’t have any difficulties in life because God takes care of us. We sometimes think it should mean heaven on earth but God’s trying to get us to eternal bliss on the other side of this life. The difficulties in life can better prepare us to finish the race IF we cling to God rather than get angry with Him. So, come what may we press on. We stay faithful until death so we can receive the crown of life (Revelation2:10).
Read Romans 8:28-39 (even in persecution God still loves us). Then listen to Come What May by We Are Messengers.
Romans 8:28-39
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.